Mysteries Surround Me: Book 1: Kanto
by 16Doobop13
Summary: Kidnapped at the age of 6, Hue Swanson became a human test subject, specifically 'Subject 4'. Eight years later, he encounters the beautiful and mysterious Aura Jones, who reveals herself to be the younger sister of the recently killed 'Subject 1'. Together they must start Subject 1's work over from scratch and uncover the identity of the boss of a murderous criminal syndicate...
1. Hubert Swanson: Pokemon Trainer!

Chapter 1:

Hubert Swanson: Pokemon Trainer!

Hue's royal blue eyes burrowed through his book.

"Come on Hue." Donovan said, sitting beside him. "You've been studying that book over and over. You should get some sleep so you can actually _get_ a pokemon from Professor Oak tomorrow. Wouldn't want to sleep through your appointment now would you?"

"Oh come on." Hue rolled his eyes with a grin. "As the eldest out of you, me and Diane, I reserve the right to the first choice, so she'll make sure that we wake up on time."

"Damn right I will!" Diane said as she slammed the door to Donovan's and Hue's room open.

She had gotten much taller in the most recent months and her long red and fiery curls now extended past her shoulders, almost reaching her not quite developed breasts.

"You boys need anything or can I head back to my own room now?" She asked impatiently.

Diane, Hue's adopted sister, was probably the most psyched about obtaining a pokemon. She had been talking about it all summer after all.

She couldn't wait to compete with both Donovan and Hue to see who the best trainer of the three of them would be.

Hue hadn't asked either Donovan or Diane which starter pokemon they'd prefer, but if he _had_ to hazard a guess, he'd guess that Diane was looking for a Charmander. With the fiery passion Diane showed with everything she got involved in, the fire-type pokemon Charmander would be an excellent fit for her.

"You can go back if you want." Donovan said with a bit of a yawn. "Hue here can't decide which pokemon to choose."

Donovan Key was Hue's best friend. And Diane's too, he guessed, but Donovan and Hue had, very early on in their lives, been kidnapped together by the same group of people.

They had been...maybe 5 or 6 at the time, Hue couldn't quite remember. As it was a traumatic experience for him, he blocked most of it from his memory. He only remembered a bunch of adults in strange black uniforms with crimson red on their chests.

They were holding Hue, Donovan, and a whole plethora of other kids in some sort of lab where they gave Hue a few strange shots.

Hue couldn't remember the details, but a few of the older kids that had gotten kidnapped had come up with an escape plan. They were all at least 10, because they had pokemon with them…

One night, they busted into everyone's cells and told all the kids to run.

At least, that's what Donovan told Hue, since Hue had blocked most of the events out of his memory.

Hue and Donovan made it out safely before the building burned to the ground.

When their parents came to the nearby police station to pick them up, Donovan and Hue learned that they lived in the same neighborhood, and had been friends ever since.

They rarely ever talked about the events of that kidnapping, as it was too much for either of them to handle.

It was at around that time that they both started to take an interest in training pokemon.

Donovan wanted to train them as a thanks to those few trainers that helped him escape.

He was one of those people that believes all good deeds deserve another. He might not have been the best at thinking on his feet, and he wasn't terribly observant, but there wasn't a soul in the world that was kinder than Donovan Key.

If Hue had to assign Donovan a pokemon, he felt like a Bulbasaur would fit Donovan's personality best.

"He's been looking through that book since we entered the room." Donovan said to Diane with a smile directed towards Hue.

"Well, if he doesn't grow a pair and pick one, then we can both choose first." Diane teased, impatiently.

"Jeez, I'll have decided by tomorrow morning guys." Hue said as he closed his book and took his glasses off for the night. "Both of you go to bed."

"Haha, alright Huey." Diane said as she left the room and switched the lights off.. "Night Huey, Night Donnie."

"Night Didi!" Hue and Donovan both replied.

"Hey Hue." Donovan turned in his bed to face Hue, his dark skin shrouded even further by the darkness of the room. "I can't believe we're all the way over here in Pallet Town. Your mom was really nice to pay for our tickets and stay at this inn."

"Yeah." Hue said, smiling.

His mom was really nice to do that. It must have cost her a lot to pay for three tickets from Violet City to Pallet Town.

 _We sure are a long distance from Earl's Academy..._ Hue thought to himself. _But it's nice to finally be back in our home region again._

Hopefully, with Hue and Diane out and about on a pokemon journey, their single mother, Constance, would not have as much trouble raising Gloria, Hue's biological sister.

"So…" Donovan said. "Have at least an idea of the pokemon you want to choose?"

"...Yes." Hue said with a smile, though it was mainly through process of elimination, he honestly felt that the pokemon he was leaning towards was the one that would suit him best.

Hue was somewhat shy around others, but very protective of those he considered friends.

That was the main reason he wanted to go on this pokemon journey.

He wanted to be just like the trainers who saved his life so long ago.

He wanted to be able to protect and defend people.

"I do happen to be leaning more towards one than the other two. I just need to do some more research on it."

"Haha, alright." Donovan snickered. "Night, Bro."

"Night, Bro." Hue replied. After a few more minutes, he closed his book, and turned off the lamp's light.

Hubert Swanson, his adopted sister Diane Dorsey, and their friend Donovan Key, were all fourteen years old.

A little late to the pokemon training world sure, but they had spent the previous four years attending Earl's Academy in the Johto region and learning all about various pokemon and moves.

Hue was especially fond of the Normal type and Dragon type pokemon, not that he wanted to be a gym leader or anything, but he liked how versatile the Normal type pokemon could be, and he enjoyed learning about the slow to grow, but powerful Dragon types.

Hue's favorite pokemon though, was Ditto. It could become any pokemon, or even any _thing,_ it laid its eyes on. If Hue could catch one of those on his journey...He would probably be able to die happy.

If Hue was being perfectly honest with himself though, he was quite nervous about becoming a pokemon trainer...

It wasn't that he thought it would be boring, In fact he knew it would be fun to train his own team of pokemon…

But he and his friends had decided to not travel together and to instead meet up at major cities if they ever had the chance.

It was Diane's idea. She thought it would be a good way to 'compete' to see who could get to which city first. She even noted that perhaps after they each obtained at least four gym badges that they could meet up and compare and contrast everyone's experiences over both lunch and a couple of battles.

Donovan was right on board. Hue never understood why, but he was almost one hundred percent positive that Donovan had a crush on Diane.

Hue thought it was kind of cool to be honest. Diane's fiery personality combined with Donovan's often calm and kind demeanor. It reminded Hue of the sun and the moon.

Like a Solrock and a Lunatone or something...

Hue had agreed to the decision as well, since he did have a feeling that his style of training would differ from both Diane's and Donovan's, as Hue wanted to use pokemon based on the information he was given about them in the pokedex, rather than through types.

For instance, Hue knew that a Raichu could shock with enough volts to render a Dragonite unconscious, despite the obvious stat differences and type disadvantages, and Hue wanted to train pokemon that would make use of his knowledge.

Of course, up until just a while ago, Hue had assumed he'd get to do all that with both Diane and Donovan, but apparently that was not going to be the case.

The biggest reason Hue ever wanted to get a pokemon was to see the world _with_ his friends, not by himself.

He looked up at the ceiling, still unable to sleep, both due to anticipation, and because Donovan was snoring.

Hue began to think of which pokemon he would choose from Professor Oak the next morning.

Starting Trainers in the Kanto Region were allowed to choose one of three starter pokemon.

The first was Bulbasaur, a Grass and Poison type.

Many trainers chose Bulbasaur due to its reputation as the easiest of the three starters to raise, as well as its loyalty to its trainer.

The second was Charmander, a Fire type.

Trainers that wanted to wield great offensive power early on often chose Charmander and recommended it to others so enthusiastically that it skyrocketed in popularity as a starter pokemon..

Finally, there was Squirtle, a Water type.

Trainers that chose Squirtle often claimed it to be the best of the three starters due to its great defensive abilities.

Each of the three pokemon would have their own specific stats, abilities, and moves, making certain pokemon more capable of certain battle styles.

There wasn't a wrong choice when it came to starter pokemon as long as you caught other pokemon to complement your team afterwards.

Hue was having a hard time deciding on which pokemon to choose because of that fact.

He did have _one_ of them in mind, as its battle style seemed to compliment Hue's way of thinking and motivation for training pokemon quite well...

Hopefully the three of them would get there early enough for Hue to obtain it.

"Welcome to the world of pokemon!" A youthful yet tired Professor Oak said at the gates to his laboratory. "I get a lot of flack for these questions, but please bear with me. It's all for your Trainer's Licence information that you'll find in your pokedex when you get it."

"Umm…" Diane said with a nervous laugh as she brushed her long red curls back. "Alright…"

"Are you a boy or a girl?" Professor Oak asked with a sigh.

"Boy." Hue replied first. He was the first one to choose a pokemon after all. He hoped that a cavity search wasn't a part of this process and that this was all just a formality.

He got really ticklish when others touched him, so hopefully this was all just bureaucratic nonsense.

"I'm a….Girl." Diane said, almost ashamed to admit it. Diane was often teased at the Trainer school for not being 'girly' enough. She did act more like a stereotypical boy their age might act, but that didn't make it okay for the others to treat her as though she was a boy either.  
That was probably why she kept her red curls so long.

She wanted to make sure people knew she was a girl.

"Boy." Donovan answered calmly, the only one not in the least bit bothered by the question.

"That's great." Professor Oak said, writing it all down on a clipboard. "If I can have your names in the same order…"

"Hubert Swanson."

"Diane Dorsey."

"Donovan Key."

"Alright." Professor Oak said. "Age?"

"14" All three answered.

"Birth Month?"

"April." Hue replied.

"July." Diane answered.

"June." Donovan said.

"And finally...do you have any allergies, diseases, or disabilities that I or the Pokemon League HQ should know about?"

"No." All three answered again.

"Alright then." Professor Oak said as he handed Hue and his friends various slips of paper. "Make sure the information on those slips of paper is correct and then follow me inside and we'll get you your starter pokemon."

The way the professor talked...He sounded so bored of this, like he was going to up and retire in like a week or something. Hue knew that there had been plenty of various Professor Oak throughout the years before this current one, but they had all been able to leave the lab to a child or grandchild after their retirement.

This Professor Oak didn't seem to have that luxury. That was probably why he looked so done with everything.

The lab itself was full of various machines and pokemon were running all over the place in a few rooms that looked like habitat zones, probably meant for studying how pokemon act in the wild.

Poliwags swimming by a stream,..

A small group of Pikachu playing in a forest environment...

An Ekans was even protecting an Exeggcute from an invading Pidgeotto...

Hue couldn't help but be impressed. How often was it you got to see this many amazing creatures all at once?

The answer was not often.

Once or twice in a life-time for the average person.

Professor Oak stopped them in front of a desk containing three pokeballs.

"In these pokeballs are the starter pokemon, Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle." Professor Oak said with a smile as he pointed out each one. "I trust you've already decided on your partner?"

Hue took a deep breath.

"Yes professor I have." He answered with a single nod.

"Oh, so you're going first are you?"

"He's the oldest." Diane shrugged, resenting the fact that although she was the most excited for this, her status of youngest made it impossible for her to choose the pokemon she wanted right away. She would instead have to rely on luck.

"And we made him wait to start his journey with us, so we don't mind." Donovan added, trying to reassure Hue that Diane's mood would only last a little while longer.

"Well, Hue." Professor Oak said with a cheerful grin that was clearly fake. "Go ahead and pick your pokemon!"

That man was crying on the inside. Hue could feel it. Maybe _he'd_ become a professor one day and take this lab off of Oak's hands...but that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

"Right." Hue nodded.

"For my starter pokemon...I choose…"

Hue picked him his chosen pokeball and let his new pokemon out.

"..." Hue looked at the shell he had just sent out of its pokeball.

It lay there on the desk, unmoving.

It wasn't dead was it? That would suck...

"Squirtle, buddy, you in there?" Hue asked, putting his face to the Squirtle's hole in its shell, only to be sprayed in the face by a gigantic blast of water.

"Squirtle Squirtle!" The Squirtle came out of its shell and began laughing.

"That was Squirtle's Water Gun attack." Professor Oak said, smiling. "The two of you are sure to make a splash in the great world of pokemon trainers!"

"A pun?" Hue asked, unamused. "We can do better than that, right Squirtle?" Hue asked as he held out his arm for the Tiny Turtle Pokemon to run up on.

Squirtle ran up Hue's arm and rested atop Hue's head.

"Squirtle!" It said happily.

"And here is your pokedex and pokeballs." Professor Oak handed Hue a pokedex along with five pokeballs.

Hue opened his pokedex.

"Hello." The pokedex said in a male robotic voice. "I am Dean. I am an artificial intelligence program to licence [Hubert Swanson] as a pokemon trainer, and give him advice about the various pokemon that he may encounter."

"Huh." Hue said as he flipped through a small manual on how to operate the pokedex. He pointed it at Squirtle, who had fallen asleep atop his head.

"[Squirtle]" Dean said. "The [Tiny Turtle] pokemon. It shelters itself in its shell, then strikes back with spouts of water at every opportunity."

"I'm up next right?" Donovan asked Diane.

The way he asked, Hue was almost certain that Donovan was giving Diane the opportunity to choose between pokemon first.

Diane didn't want to take advantage of Donovan's offer however.

"Yep. You were born first." Diane said. "Beside's I think I know which one you'll choose, which means I'll get the one I want anyway."

Donovan reached for a pokeball and opened it up.

"Bulba-Sauuurrr." The Bulbasaur… uh... purr-croaked?

Hue wasn't quite sure what that noise was supposed to be.

 _Well Dean, time to put yourself to use._

"[Bulbasaur], the [Seed] pokemon. It bears the seed of a plant on its back from birth. The seed slowly develops. Researchers are unsure whether to classify Bulbasaur as a plant or animal. Bulbasaur are extremely calm and very difficult to capture in the wild."

"Huh." Hue said. "Guess that leaves Diane and Charmander..." he reasoned.

 _I called it!_

 _I totally called it that they would end up with those pokemon!_

Diane began to tremble.

"Didi?" Hue asked. "You o-"

"Yeah! Wooo! Yes!" She began cheering and jumping up and down, her red curls flickered much like the flame on a Charmander's tail.

"Charmander! I got Charmander!" She reached for the pokeball and sent out Charmander.

"Chaaa." The Charmander yawned.

Hue was awestruck...That Charmander...It was beautiful...

"That is the prettiest Charmander I've ever seen." Donovan said, saying exactly what Hue was thinking

Hue nodded. "Ditto for me."

"Squirtle squirtle." Squirtle snickered.

Donovan gave Hue a small fist bump.

 _Successful PokePun._

 _Take that, Professor Oak, Squirtle and I are the true pun champions here._

"It doesn't surprise me." Professor Oak said to Diane. "That Charmander is a female. They're quite exceptionally rare, so you should count yourself lucky."

"Hm…" Hue held up his pokedex to the female Charmander.

"[Charmander], The [Lizard] pokemon. A flame burns on the tip of its tail from birth. It is said that a Charmander dies if its flame ever goes out."

Diane instantly put herself in between Hue and her Charmander. "You keep your Squirtle away from my Charolette and we'll be just fine. Got it?" She asked.

"Hahaha." Professor Oak laughed the first legitimate happiness to come out of him that day. "I almost forgot, Do any of you want to nickname your pokemon?"

Hue did, but he didn't have a good name in mind for Squirtle just yet.

"Charolette." Diane repeated to Professor Oak who nodded.

"Bud." Donovan said, looking over his Bulbasaur. "Sound good?" He asked.

"Bulba!" Bud replied cheerfully.

 _Meh_. Hue thought. _That name could use a little work, but as long as Donovan and his pokemon are okay with it, that's all that matters_.

"And what about you, Hubert?" Professor Oak asked.

"How about...Douglas?" Hue asked Squirtle, who nodded approvingly.

"Douglas it is then." Hue said with a smile.

"I'll be the one to ask." Donovan said. "Why Douglas?"

"Why the heck not?" Hue asked. He thought Douglas was a perfectly okay name...

"I guess you have a point." Donovan shrugged.

The three of them stood around Professor Oak's lab for a few more minutes.

"Now what?" Hue finally asked.

"Well, Last to choose equals first to leave." Diane said with a smile, unable to stand still any longer. "By boys! I'll see you guys soon 'k?" She called as she returned Charlotte into her pokeball and ran out the door.

"Bye." Hue said, unable to bring up the fact that he wanted both her and Donovan to stay and travel with him instead...

"Well. Why don't we talk a bit before I head out too?" Donovan suggested, noticing Hue's reluctance to leave the building, as he returned Bud the Bulbasaur to his pokeball..

"Sure." Hue agreed. "Douglas, return."

Douglas smacked the poke-ball back at Hue.

"Squirtle."

"It's been awhile since Douglas has gotten out." Professor Oak admitted. "He might want some more fresh air before heading back inside his pokeball."

"Alright, if you like being outside that much, I won't make you return." Hue sighed. "But if you ever evolve, you'll be too big for resting on my head."

"Oh that's right!" Professor Oak said. "Both of you, if you could help me clean this place up a bit. Another girl your age is coming over to choose a pokemon later today."

"Alright, no problem." Hue replied, mainly to see the look of terror on Donovan's face.

After ten minutes, Donovan had succeeded in cleaning his portion of the lab, quite eager to get out of cleaning the room, and wanting very much to start his own pokemon journey..

"I'm done. I'll see you later Hue!" He said as he bolted before Hue could even also say 'see you later.'

As Hue finished up his cleaning, a beautiful and peculiar girl who appeared to be around his age walked in. She had long wavy black hair, and her dark green eyes were piercing everything in the room. She had a slim and fit figure and was wearing a traditional martial arts hakama.

While her outfit made her stand out more than just a tad, Hue couldn't help but notice something else about her that didn't make any sense.  
This girl already had a pokeball on her.

It was marked with some sort of symbol, and clearly contained a pokemon already.

Not only was her age strange, given that she did not attend the trainer's school, but having a pokemon before you were a licensed trainer was strange as well…

A pet is one thing, but pets don't go in pokeballs...

"You must be the Aura Jones who contacted me earlier." Professor Oak stated with a smile.

"A pleasure to meet you in person, Professor." the girl named Aura Jones smiled a sly smile as she curtseyed to him. "I'm here for my pokemon."

There was something about that grin that made Hue uneasy. That's when he remembered another important detail.

He and his friends had contacted professor just the last day, and at the time he said he had that so long as no trainers were walk-ins, they had the day to themselves.

This girl had appeared out of nowhere, clearly not having made an official appointment, yet the Professor had clearly known that she was coming in today and was acting like she had authority over everything he did...

Professor Oak placed three more pokeballs on the table.

It looked as though Hue didn't have to worry about not getting the pokemon he wanted after all.

Very suddenly, and without warning, Aura's eyes shifted over to Hue.

Even though it was probably, no, almost _definitely_ a bad idea, Hue kept eye contact.

Her eyes were dark green and very piercing, like she was stabbing him a thousand times over in her head, or maybe dissecting him like he was some sort of alien.

He didn't trust this chick...and he sure as hell wouldn't be intimidated by her.

Aura smirked.

She took a pokeball from the table without breaking Hue's eye contact, and once she had her pokedex and pokeballs that Professor Oak had laid out for her, she pointed at Hue.

"I assume you want to battle me." Aura said with a coy smile. "Or do you just find me that pretty?"

Regardless of how pretty she was, Hue hadn't been staring at her for _that_ reason.

The fact that she just happened to show up here the same day Hue did and that she was his age without having gone to a Trainer's school, It seemed like more than just coincidence.

 _Still though, a battle with my new pokemon would be rather welcome..._

"Oh, I- I'm sorry, it's just...I didn't think another trainer would come in today." Hue said. He quickly looked up at Douglas.

"But hey, why not?" He smiled. "Douglas and I can use a battle."

Aura snickered. "Since we're both starting out, we'll make this a one on one match. Incidentally, how much money do you have on you?"

 _Both starting out? She has that strangely marked Pokeball with her. There was definitely no way that she has not had a pokemon battle before._

"Uhhh...3000 pokeyen. Why?" Hue asked, suspiciously. He wasn't going to let this girl swindle him out of all his money. She better-

"Let's make it low stakes then. We each put up 50 pokeyen and the winner takes the pot." Aura offered a surprisingly fair deal.

"I can referee the battle as well as heal your pokemon." Professor Oak said. "I'm so glad to see you kids getting into the Trainer spirit."

Hue huffed.

 _Spirit huh? I don't buy it._

 _There is something strange about this Aura girl._

Hue hadn't meant to stare, but there was a certain...confidence, to both this Aura girl's movements and her speech...

He was just observing the exchange, and surely she must have been able to see that, so why had she decided to pick a fight with him? She could have ignored him and left…

Why did she seem so intent on battling Hue?

"Alright." Aura said as she sent out her pokemon. "Fushi, I choose you!"

"Bulba-saur!" Aura's Bulbasaur sent its vines out as it gave a battle cry.

"Fushi?" Hue asked, curious about the name.

Aura rolled her eyes. "It's short for Fushigidane. It means 'mysterious bulb'. By far a more interesting name than Douglas."

This chick was pressing all the right buttons to get Hue riled up. No one insults _his_ pokemon.

"Listen mysterious hakama lady, you can make fun of me all you want…" Hue said. "But if you so much as even _think_ about insulting Douglas, you're in for a world of hurt!"

"Well then." Aura smirked. "Fushi, we'll let them go first."

"Bulbasaur." Fushi growled.

While normally, Hue would have Douglas use a move like Withdraw, to retreat into the shell, he was too eager to do damage to Aura's pokemon to think quite that clearly.

"Douglas, Tackle attack!" Hue called.

"Oh?" Aura asked, a glint in her eye. "Fushi, dear, counter with your own Tackle!"

The pokemon collided head on.

"Perfect." Hue said with a smile. "Douglas, Water Gun at close range, go!"

"Leech Seed, Fushi!" Aura chimed.

Douglas let out the biggest blast of water Hue could ever think Douglas capable of carrying. It was so forceful it shot the Bulbasaur into the wall.

"Looks like Fushi's in trouble…" Hue said with a smirk.

"Yeah sure." Aura rolled her eyes. She grinned as she snapped her fingers.

Instantly, Douglas took a knee in pain as it looked like health was being sapped out of him.

"Douglas!" Hue called. "Hgh…"

He looked at Aura and her Bulbasaur, which was getting back up and looking as refreshed as Douglas was in pain.

"What's going on?" Hue asked, a little upset, wondering if Aura might have been using some method of cheating.

"Woah now. It's just Leech Seed." Aura said with a laugh. "If you get this worked up from that, you'll hate some attacks you'll see further down the line."

 _This girl knows way too much to just be a new trainer...And what is with that extra pokeball?_

"Douglas, Tackle!" Hue called, unsure of what to do.

That Water Gun had been a critical hit, but thanks to Bulbasaur's type advantage, it wasn't enough to do as much damage as Hue would have hoped.

He'd _have_ to rely on Tackle…

"Oh my, not one to give in it seems." Aura said with a confident smile. "Fushi...Vine Whip."

The whip from the vine sent Douglas flying into the wall behind Hue.

"Douglas, can you still get up?" Hue asked.

"Squir-...Tle-..."Douglas panted as he stood back up.

Then he fell to the floor again, as Hue noticed that inside Douglas's shell there were some plants draining Douglas's energy.

Fushi, Aura's Bulbasaur seemed to be healing because of this.

 _So this is Leech Seed..._

"Give in before you hurt yourself." Aura said confidently with a sly smile as Douglas managed to hobble back to his feet.

Then a strange blue mist began to surround Douglas.

"What...is _that_ move?" Hue asked Dean his pokedex?"

Aura's expression, coincidentally, was similarly curious as she took out her own pokedex.

Only, she didn't point it at Douglas...She pointed her pokedex directly at Hue…

 _What is this all about?_

 _This girl is from another world or something with the way she is acting..._

"[Torrent]" Dean informed Hue. "[Squirtle's] Ability: When Squirtle has reached the limits of its energy, its water moves become far more powerful."

"Hmmm…" Hue said.

He had an idea.

"Douglas, Withdraw!" Hue said. Douglas withdrew into his shell.

"What could you possibly-?" Aura asked. "Whatever, Fushi, use Vine Whip!"

 _Bingo._

 _She took the bait._

"Douglas, use Water Gun on yourself inside the shell!"

The amount of pressure from all the water made the shell spin around incredibly fast. When Fushi's vines went for it, Fushi pulled them back in agony. The spinning shell had managed to bruise Fushi's vines.

"Alright Douglas, let's finish this off with a momentum powered Tackle!"

"No...this can't be happening!" Aura exclaimed, in a suspiciously unconvincing tone, as Douglas shot at Fushi. "How could he think of something like that when before he was just calling out moves?"

"Surprised?" Hue asked confidently. He had finally gotten some momentum in this match. Now he could think clearly, and make full use of his mind...

Aura's eyes met his, and Hue's newfound confidence regressed right back into terror.

 _Those dark green daggers…_

 _Does Aura know the move Glare or something?_

"No. I'm impressed, but not surprised at all. You will be though." She smiled.

Aura snapped her fingers.

Douglas stopped in his tracks and fell to the floor.

"Oh, shit! I forgot about the Leech Seed!" Hue exclaimed.

"Douglas is unable to battle." Professor Oak said. "The winner is Fuji, which makes the winner of this match Aura!"

 _Well this sucks..._

 _An hour into my pokemon journey and I've already lost 50 pokeyen and my first battle._

"I must admit." Aura said as both their pokemon were healed and she took the money she had won from Hue.

"You got closer to defeating me than I thought you would. It was my type advantage that really won the day here. Keep training and maybe you won't lose to me as badly next time." She chimed confidently.

"I'm Aura by the way. Aura Jones."

"Hue Swanson." Hue said.

"Oh, I already know who you are, Huey!" Aura chimed very sweetly with a cryptic undertone. "Given the test you just went through, I think you'll do just fine. See you soon!" She winked as she left the building. "And thanks for taking care of the aftermath…"

"Who the hell is she?" Hue asked himself as Douglas ran up onto Hue's head again. "And wait, what did she mean by aftermath?"

"Ahem." Professor Oak coughed. "Hubert...would you be so kind…"

Hue cringed, and turned around.

"To clean up this giant mess you've made!" Professor Oak yelled as he motioned to puddles and plants everywhere.

"Alright, alright. Douglas, you can help clean the water. I'll pick up the plants."

"Squirtle Squirtle!"

Even as Hue was picking up the aftermath of the battle that Aura had left him with, he couldn't wrap his head around what just happened.

 _Who was that girl?_

 _Why does she act like she knows who I am?_

"See you soon…" Hue repeated those last words to come out of Aura's mouth.

 _And what about the 'you'll do just fine' shit she was spouting earlier?_

He figured he'd have the opportunity to get her back if they met at the Pokemon League.

That's where Hue was going after all.

He'd head up there with pokemon trained to their fullest potential and he'd win the league using his superior knowledge… And prove to himself that he was strong enough to protect those who needed protection.

As Hue finished tidying up at around 8:00 pm at night and left the lab, he could have sworn he saw someone lurking in the shadows.

"Hello?" He called out to them.

He heard some rustling, saw what might have been a flash of a crimson red letter, or maybe a word, and then there was nothing.

He was all by himself, but every instinct he had told him that he wasn't necessarily _alone._ He felt as though he was being watched.

Something told Hue that this journey of his wouldn't be as straightforward as he'd like it to be...


	2. The Girl With White Hair!

Chapter 2:

The Girl With White Hair

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Squirtle): Water Gun, Withdraw, Tackle, Bubble

Hue walked down Route 1 with Douglas resting on his head.

He still had thousands of thoughts racing through his mind.

The sleep he had gotten last night was nearly not existent.

He wondered how Diane was doing. Probably fine, battling everyone she could her hands on no doubt...

He hoped Donovan was alright, although, knowing him. he had probably made a crapton of friends already.

Then there was that Aura girl...what was with her?

Hue wanted to know so badly what she had meant by 'he'd do just fine'?

Furthermore, he was such a nervous wreck last night he thought he saw some stranger wearing a black uniform running around like some kind of shady criminal…

Being alone with his thoughts, when he thinks as much as he does is scary…

He needed someone or something to take his mind off of everything that had happened the previous day.

"Say Douglas…" Hue said after a while, aching for someone to talk to. "Want to find ourselves a new friend?"

"Squirtle!" Douglas wagged his tail cheerfully.

Hue's stomach growled.

"And food too. Friends and Food are what we need right now…"

"How To Catch a Pokemon" Dean's robotic voice echoed. "Throw a pokeball at a weakened wild pokemon and pray."

"Pray?" Hue didn't buy it...

"Pray." Dean did not seem to be joking.

"Even a weakened pokemon can still escape capture."

"Then I guess I'll just knock it-"

"Any wild pokemon that are knocked out will return to the wild."

"How does that make any damn sense?"

As Hue yelled into his red piece of scrap metal, thankful no one was around to see him look like such a complete idiot, Douglas took off.

"Squirtle!" He called for Hue to follow him across a hill.

There was apparently something he wanted Hue to see...

"Douglas, wait up buddy!" Hue called as he ran after his Squirtle.

When Hue reached the top of the hill, he noticed what had Douglas so excited.

Picking fruit from a tree was a Bulbasaur.

Hue wondered if it might be Donovan's or Aura's.

If it was the former, that's awesome. He could tell him all about the shit that went down with Aura, if it was the latter of the two, a rematch was definitely in order along with some much needed answers.

Then, almost without warning, a flock of Pidgey began to swarm the Bulbasaur.

"We should help that poor guy out." Hue said to Douglas, who nodded.

"Squirtle!" He agreed.

As Hue arrived at the scene, he took out his pokedex and scanned one of the Pidgey.

"[Pidgey]" Dean recorded. " The [Tiny Bird] Pokemon. Pidgey is a Flying-type Pokemon. Among all Flying Pokemon, Pidgey are the gentlest and easiest to capture."

"Nothing looks gentle about them right now…" Hue said as he readied a pokeball.

He might as well sneak a capture in while he helped this Bulbasaur.

"A perfect target for the beginning trainer to test his pokemon's skills." Dean continued. "Pidgey's Gust power creates tornados. It also has a Sand-Attack."

"Awesome!" Hue's eyes glistened. "Making Tornadoes would be amaz-Gahh!"

He realized in horror at what was happening, and turned to Douglas.

"We need to protect that Bulbasaur and make sure no Gust attacks get to it!"

"Squirtle!" Douglas agreed.

"Water-Gun!" Hue called out as he pointed to the flock of Pidgey.

Douglas let out blast of water after blast of water.

After about two or three each time, a Pidgey would faint.

One Pidgey stood out to Hue, mainly because it used a move on Douglas that Dean had not told Hue about. It had summoned a powerful gust of wind, and would have blown Douglas away had Hue not been there to catch him.

"Whirlwind, A Normal Type Attack." Dean informed Hue. "A strong gust of wind is used to blow the opponent away. In the wild, this would normally mean the end of a pokemon battle."

"Sounds like a fun pokemon to have on my side." Hue said with a smile.

"Douglas, rapid fire Water-Gun go!"

"Squir-" Douglas inhaled.

"-tle tle tle tle tle!" Douglas gurgled as he blew a bunch of bubbles at all the remaining Pidgey.

"Now what the heck was that?" Hue asked Dean.

"Bubble, A Water Type Attack." Dean professed. "A spray of countless bubbles is jetted at the opposing team. This attack can hit multiple pokemon at once and may lower their Speed."

"Alright then." Hue said with a smile. "Time to catch that Whirlwind Pidgey! Douglas, head into a Tackle attack!"

"Squirtle!" Douglas rammed into the Pidgey, who tried to fly out of the way, but the wet wings from the Bubble were enough to keep it at bay.

"Pid-gey…" The Pidgey said, panting.

Hue wasn't sure, but…

It almost looked like the Pidgey was smiling.

Was it enjoying this fight?

"Alright…" Hue said, adjusting his glasses. "Let's give this a shot Douglas…" He threw a pokeball at the Pidgey. "Pokeball...Go!"

It hit the Pidgey and the pokemon was beamed inside by a reddish light.

The pokeball began to wiggle back and forth.

Until finally, it stopped moving.

"Did I...did I?"

"Pidgey has been caught." Dean's mechanical voice announced. "Would you like to nickname Pidgey?"

Chet sounded like a good name to Hue...

"Hell yeah, I'd like to give... _her_ a name? This was a _female_ Pidgey?"

Hue bowed his head.

Chet was not a female name. He'd have to think of another one, pronto.

"I guess...Ace will do…" He said, entering the name into the pokedex to register his first caught pokemon.

"Now…" Hue said, adjusting his glasses as he turned to the clearly injured Bulbasaur, and took out a Potion.

"This was supposed to be for Douglas, but you clearly need it more than we do, little guy." Hue said as he knelt down.

"S-saurrr." The Bulbasaur hissed as it began to back away from Hue after Hue had applied the Potion.

"Hmm...Bulbasaur are said to be extremely calm." Hue remembered. "This guy must be separated from hi-...Oh you've got to be kidding me."

Hue looked at his pokedex again. "Separated from _her_ trainer." He corrected himself. "Is every pokemon on Route 1 a female?"

"Saurrrr…" The Bulbasaur hissed again.

"I don't know what you think we're going to do to you…" Hue said to the overly cautious Bulbasaur as he rubbed Douglas on the head, who seemed to enjoy it.

"Sqirrrrr..." He purred.

"You're clearly gathering food for your trainer, or something along those lines. We'd like to help you reunite with them if that's okay with you, Bulbasaur."

"S-saur?" The Bulbasaur seemed to be surprised by the generosity. Apparently this was the first time someone hadn't up and tried to catch it.

Hue would be lying if he said the thought hadn't crossed his mind, but he knew better. Besides, if that Bulbasaur _had_ been a wild pokemon, it probably would have attacked Hue and Douglas along with the Pidgey. That wasn't the case though.

"Come on, Bulbasaur." Hue said as he picked Douglas up and put him atop his head and scooped up some berries that had fallen. "Let's go find your trainer."

The Bulbasaur led Hue and Douglas to a nearby area where a beautiful girl with long white hair seemed to be bed-ridden.

"Saurrrr!" The Bulbasaur called. "Bulba-Saurrr!"

"Huh?" The girl sat up and yawned. Upon seeing Hue standing there with the berries Bulbasaur had been picking in his hand, she instantly pulled her sleeping bag back up so that her body was covered.

"Who the hell are you?" She asked, almost as though she thought she was being polite.

"Oh...I'm-.." This girl was pretty, and Hue knew if he tried to introduce himself verbally he'd say something stupid and mess up.

Hue reached into his pocket to take out Dean and show this girl his info.

"Hubert Swanson?" The girl asked.

"My friends call me Hue." Hue said as he offered the girl a berry.

She turned her head away similar to the way a cat would refuse being fed food.

"Aw come on, your Bulbasaur picked out these berries for you! It wants you to feel better!"

"Why are you here?" She asked in the same tone as before as she took the berry without looking.

"Well, Douglas and I were in the area and we noticed that your Bulbasaur was being attacked by a flock of Pidgey, so we decided to help out."

"I...see…" the girl said as she sat back up and brushed her hair back. She looked at Hue directly in the eyes. Hers were a sky-blue color, and her stoic face made everything feel rather formal.

"Thanks then…" She said before lying back down. Apparently deciding the conversation was over.

"Are you okay?" Hue asked. "You seem kind of sick to be walking around in the wild. Maybe we should get you to a real hospital…"

"I'll be fine…" The girl said, her expression not changing. "I just took the brunt of a Poison Powder attack, that's all. Bulbasaur had just learned it you see, and we wanted to test it out on some pokemon, but...well, things didn't quite go as planned."

"So that's why she was gathering berries for you." Hue said. "She wants to speed up your recovery."

"Saurr." The girl's Bulbasaur nuzzled up next to her.

"Don't worry Bulbasaur." The girl smiled for the first time since Hue had met her. It was quite radiant, and seemed to make the sun a bit brighter. "This isn't your fault. I really appreciate all that you're doing for me!"

"Did you get Bulbasaur from Professor Oak?" Hue asked, curious.

Bulbasaur seemed to be a popular choice these days.

"Mm hm." The girl nodded. "A few days ago actually. Bulbasaur and I aim to win the pokemon league together."

"Well...that's a problem." Hue said with a smile. "Douglas and I won't just hand victory over you know."

"I don't think you'd be much of a problem." The girl said, her smile fading and her eyes closing. "You strike me as the type of person who would try to research their opposition, and to be perfectly honest with you, it's a flawed tactic. Even if any information you find _is_ true, there is no guarantee that your opponent will stick with their script for your battle."

"No. I'm going to win the league tournament." Hue said confidently.

He had to if he ever wanted to be as strong as those trainers he and Donovan owed their lives to...He would win the league and be as strong as them...

 _Hopefully by beating that Aura girl right in the first round._ He thought.

"Someone you don't want to lose to?" The girl asked.

"I guess you could say that, yeah." Hue replied.

"I see…" The girl said as she put her hands behind her head. "Someone you've already lost to. Revenge is not a healthy motivator."

"I don't want revenge on her or anything like that! I just-..."

"Relax." The girl said, her expression not changing. "I was joking."

"You know...It's hard to tell with you…" Hue said as he stood up. At least this girl was finally starting to open up to him, if only just a little.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" He asked.

"I'll be fine." The girl smiled at him. "Thanks for helping Bulbasaur out earlier. We can manage on our own from here."

Hue just didn't feel right about leaving this girl all alone, as stone cold and reserved as she seemed to act, he could tell that she wasn't a bad person.

"Do you...do you want to battle maybe?" Hue asked, hoping to Arceus his voice didn't crack as much as he thought it just did.

"Ask the bedridden girl to battle? That doesn't sound like a robbery attempt at all." The girl said with a sigh and a smile.

"We don't need to put any money up." Hue said. "And it doesn't have to be now either. We could meet at the pokemon center in Viridian City. That way our pokemon can be at full health."

"We're trainers, Hue, we need to put something up. Those are the rules." The girl said.

"Have anything in mind?"

The girl nodded as she lay down and turned in her sleeping bag, away from Hue.

"I'm Ethel." She finally said. "When you get to Viridian City, ask around for Ethel Ross, and someone will point you in my direction."

"Ethel Ross…" Hue said, mainly to himself.

"What is it?" Ethel asked. "Does my name sound familiar to you or something?"

"Not really…" Hue said scratching his head. "I'm just trying to make sure I've got it right is all…"

After a few moments of silence, Hue finally asked. "Should that name ring a bell to me?"

"No." Ethel said. "I suppose it shouldn't...Now go. I'll see you in Viridian City."

Suppose it shouldn't?

Hue was apparently this weird mysterious girls that seem to know him with Bulbasaur magnet…

Quite a mouthful of a title but, well, it was true.

Hue and Douglas entered Viridian City without any further delays.  
The very first thing Hue did was double time it to the pokemon center.

"Welcome to the P-"

"Please heal my pokemon!" Hue said as he put Douglas on a tray along with the pokeball containing, Ace, his new-ish Pidgey.

"Alright, please wait while your pokemon are being restored. Feel free to rest and socialize in the commons. As a trainer, you have the ability to stay in the rooms here at no cost for as long as you stay in the city!"

"Awesome!" Hue said, excited that he wouldn't have to pay for room and board. "Thanks Nurse...Joy!"

"You're very welcome!" She said. "We hope you continue to use the pokemon center for your pokemon healing purposes!"

After a few minutes, Hue was called up to the desk to retrieve his pokemon, now at full health.

"By the way...Nurse Joy…" Hue said. "Has a girl with white hair come by here recently? Her name's Ethel Ross."

Nurse Joy seemed to recognize the name, and was about to tell Hue exactly what he needed to hear, when the Pokemon Center doors opened, and a chill was sent down Hue's spine.

 _She_ was here.

He could feel it somehow.

"Oh? And here I thought we had something special going on Huey…" A voice from behind him chimed. "Hello Nurse Joy!" Aura sang as she set three pokeballs in the tray. "I need a full check-up please!"

Hue noticed that one of those three pokeballs was the one with the strange marking on it.

So she used that pokemon huh...

"Of course Aura." Nurse Joy smiled, as she took the tray. "This may take a while longer than last time. Hue here just had his pokemon in for a check-up so the machines are running a little slow right now."

"That's quite alright." Aura said politely. "Anyways, what's this I hear about a girl with white hair?"

Her eyes…

The daggers they shot…

Hue didn't want this girl to know any information, but those eyes…

They scared him.

"I'm supposed to have a battle with this girl whose name is Ethel Ross." Hue said. "We were going to try meeting in the pokemon center, but she told me to ask around about her just in case."

"I see…" Aura bit her nail, as though she knew exactly what was going on and was rapidly thinking of a way to stop it. "How much pokeyen are you betting on this match?"

"She had something else in mind…" Hue answered honestly. "I'm not sure what that means."

This seemed to instead of relieve Aura, make her worry more. Why was money not being betted a bad thing?

"Well, if you're looking for her…" Aura said. "You're in luck. I recently had a battle with her. We're talking about a girl with blue eyes and a Bulbasaur like Fushi, right?"

"Are you telling me that you lost?"

"No, it was actually a draw." Aura said, biting her nail again. "I'm going to say this now, that girl is going to crush you if you take her on alone."

"Why must you attack my self esteem?" Hue asked with a sigh of exasperation.

"Aura, you're pokemon are all back up at full health!" Nurse Joy said.

"By the way Hue. I've noticed you haven't registered yet for the Pokemon League. Would you like to do that here?"

"If you aren't registered…" Aura whispered. "Even obtaining eight badges won't get you into the league."

"I'd love to register here, then." Hue said. Thankful, but somewhat suspicious about Aura's advice.

After some fiddling with machines and whatnot, Hue's pokedex was updated.

"What's different about it now?" Hue asked.

"You're registered." Aura said. "Every trainer you've battled up to this point has been added as a contact in your pokedex's chat. So...let's see!"

She snatched Dean from Hue's hand, and instantly, and timidly handed it back, her face turning red.

Although this was equally as embarrassing for him as it was for her, Hue took comfort in the fact that it was in fact possible to catch this girl by surprise.

"So it's…"

"Yeah. You're the only trainer I've battled so far…"

They stood there in silence for a while.

"You said you had a draw with Ethel?" Hue asked, trying to change the subject.

"R-right." Aura nodded as she brushed her wavy black hair out of her piercing dark green eyes. "We had a three on three battle, and each time...each time both our pokemon fainted at the same time. Then, it was Fushi against her own Bulbasaur...and we decided to end the battle midway because of something that... happened."

Obviously she didn't want to say anything unless Hue prompted her too.

He sighed and gave in.

"What something?"

"A big guy with a red crew cut and stubble came along, and started asking people in the crowd about a blonde trainer with glasses and blue eyes. He said he had something he wanted to tell this trainer."

"And what, you think it's me he's after?"

"Well, I did until...I saw your contacts...Sorry for snatching it by the way."

Hue could barely believe his ears.

Aura?

Apologizing?

For something as pointless as that? Why was she trying so hard to get on his good side now? She didn't seem to care about it yesterday...

"Ah, Hue. There you are." Ethel said as she entered the pokemon center.

"Oh?" She asked, recognizing Aura.

"You two are acquainted?"

"We travel together." Aura said, completely out of the fucking blue, taking Hue completely by surprise.

"We had just gotten separated earlier when you and I ran into each other."

"We... do?" Hue asked in disbelief.

"You don't seem to have anyone else in your entourage." Aura said, pointing at Hue's pokedex. "So what do you say? You aren't nervous because I'm a girl are you?" She batted her eyes in a flirtatious manner.

"No, it's fine…" Hue said, reasoning that he'd probably get lonely by himself anyway. "Were you too nervous to ask yesterday because I'm a boy?"

"Pfft." Aura blew her hair out of her right eye. "As if…"

"Well then, this will work out rather perfectly for everyone then." Ethel said, her expressions still nearly nonexistent. However...Hue could swear he detected a hint of disdain in her tone.

She motioned for someone to follow her into the pokemon center.

He was a big guy with a red crew cut. He fit Aura's description to a T.

He was holding a single pokeball.

He pointed to Hue.

"You're Hue Swanson? Donovan Key's friend?" The guy asked.

He looked rather menacing and almost thug like.

People in the pokemon center were beginning to stare.

Strangely enough, it wasn't at Hue or the big guy they were staring at…

It was Ethel.

What the hell had Hue gotten himself involved in?

"I'm Victor Grail." The guy said. "I challenge you to a battle!"

"So you can see the conundrum here." Ethel said, crossing her arms. "You can't fight alone against both of us, so we need a fourth person. As it so happens, I intend to finish my battle with you, hakama girl." Ethel pointed to Aura. "You won't escape defeat that easily."

"Alright, bring it on. Hue and I are more than enough for both of you." Aura said, standing up.

"What happened to 'she's going to crush me?'" Hue whispered.

"That was before I decided." Aura said as she motioned for Hue to ready one of his pokemon.

"This match will be a 2 on 2 tag battle. We'll each use one pokemon." Ethel said.

"Decided what?" Hue asked.

"That the two of us...We're partners from now on Huey!" Aura smiled and winked as all four of them sent out their pokemon.

Hue wasn't quite sure what to make of that…

If she was telling the truth, then awesome, he had someone to travel with but…

No.

Something told Hue that Aura didn't decide this on a whim.

She had some sort of underlying reason for being so adamant about traveling with him.

She was the kind of person who had a reason for everything she did.

"I'll ref the battle!" Some random trainer said as he got up and looked at Hue and Aura, and then at Ethel and Victor.

"The tag team battle between Hue and Aura, and Victor and Ethel will now begin!"

"You ready, partner?" Aura asked, almost as though she wanted to rile Hue up. "Let's get you your first win!"


	3. Tag Team Battle! H and A VS V and E!

Chapter 3:

Tag Team Battle! Hue and Aura VS Victor and Ethel!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Squirtle): Water Gun, Withdraw, Tackle, Bubble

Ace(Pidgey): Sand-Attack, Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind

"The match between Hue and Aura, and Victor and Ethel will now start!" The reffing trainer stated as Hue and Aura took their place on the far side of the outdoor battlefield.

"This will be a 2 on 2 battle. Each participating trainer will use one pokemon each. The battle is over when _both_ of one side's pokemon are unable to battle."

"Go! Ace!" Hue called as he threw his pokeball.

"Pidgey!" Ace called as she flew about.

"I was wondering what that second pokemon of yours was…" Aura grinned. "I should have known not to get my hopes up."

She could tease all she wanted, but Hue knew that Ace was strong. Especially for a Pidgey.

Aura threw her own pokeball. "Koko, join the party!"

"Kakuna." The Kakuna said.

Hue noticed that this was not the pokemon residing in the special pokeball that Aura had kept on her this whole time...

The crowd of trainers that were watching began to laugh.

"She's trying to set you up for a loss dude!" One of them called to Hue.

What?

Hue lifted his pokedex up to scan the Kakuna.

"[Kakuna]" Dean said. "The [Cocoon] Pokemon."

"Well, yeah, I can figure out that much." Hue mumbled. "What else?"

"Kakuna, a transitional stage between [Weedle] and [Beedrill]. Kakunas remain inactive until they evolve into deadly Beedrill and hatch."

Hue's eye began to twitch.

"In...active…?"

Aura put her fist on her head and stuck her tongue out. "Sorry Huey, but this is the only way Koko will ever get the experience she needs!"

"I see." Ethel said, her arms crossed, taking note of the pokemon on the field. "Butterfree, your services, please." She said calmly and nearly emotionlessly as she sent out a Butterfree.

"Freeeee." The Butterfly chimed.

"Huh." Hue moved his pokedex over to Ethel's Butterfree.

"[Buttefree], the [Butterfly] Pokemon. One week after Caterpie evolves into Metapod, it again evolves into Butterfree."

"How does that help me at all?" Hue shouted at his pokedex as Aura gave a nervous laugh.

"Hey." Victor said. "Swanson."

The way he talked...Hue felt like if he refused anything Victor said, he'd be eating a knuckle sandwich.

"Yeah? What is it?"

"Why're you using that bird? I was told you had a Squirtle. Use that instead."

"Well, I would but I've already sent out Ace." Hue reasoned. "So she's the one I'm going with for this battle."

"That's a good call." Aura told Hue in a tone quiet enough that Victor or Ethel wouldn't hear.

"Even without the type advantage, that is a good call. There is something about Butterfree that I learned in my previous battle with Ethel. The scales on its wings allow it to shed water."

"In other words?" Hue asked.

"Douglas wouldn't have been able to make full use of his Water type attacks."

There was no way for Victor to know that though, so why did he want Hue to use-

"Squirtle, get in there!" Victor called as he sent out a Squirtle.

"Squirtle!" It said.

Oh you had to be kidding.

Hue didn't want to be grouped together with this assmunch. Why did Victor have to go and choose Squirtle from the Professor?

"Hue and Aura are using Pidgey and Kakuna." The ref said. "Victor and Ethel are using Squirtle and Butterfree. Once both pokemon on one side are unable to continue, the match will be over."

"Just one second." Victor said. "Hue, you're the one I'm after." He pointed at Hue. "Let's place 1000 pokeyen down as a bet. Most of mine came from your pal Donovan anyway."

This guy had beaten Donovan? But...how?

"Fine." Hue said through gritted teeth.

He was not fond of this Victor character, and would not allow himself to lose.

"I would like our bet to remain as is for now." Ethel informed Hue. "Should my pokemon defeat yours or yours defeat mine, I will inform you as to what the bet was about."

"Hey white hair!" Aura said. "Tell the ref your bet. We don't want you changing it if things don't go your way."

"Hmph." Ethel humphed. "Very well. You there, come here and listen to this."

She whispered some stuff into the ref's ear.

Hue took advantage of the situation to talk to Aura.

"What's the deal with sending out and immobile pokemon?" He asked. "You aren't trying to make me lose are you?"

"I told you…" Aura rolled her eyes before. "We're partners now!" She winked with a smile. "Koko and I aren't scamming you or anything, trust us!"

After the way this girl's been acting, that seemed like an impossible task,

"Pidgey and Kakuna? Those two are doomed." A trainer in the crowd said.

"That Butterfree is going to annihilate them…"

"No one has a type advantage over that Squirtle either."

"Hang on, the blonde one's adjusting his glasses…"

"Allow me to make the first move then." Hue said with a smile. "Ace, Gust attack on Butterfree!"

"Confusion." Ethel countered as her Butterfree's eyes shined blue and disrupted the Tornado that Ace had created.

Well shit, that's a powerful pokemon...

"Squirtle, use Water Gun on the Pidgey! Knock that sorry bird out of the sky!" Victor called.

"Ace, dodge it!"

Squirtle shot beams of water at Ace who managed to dodge them by rolling in the air, until the fifth shot, which grazed by her wing, causing her to go of balance.

"Keep it up Ace." Hue called reassuringly, "You're doing great!"

Aura smiled. "Oh Koko...I think it's time we help Huey out."

"How can a Kakuna help?" one of the trainers in the crowd wondered.

"Kuna.." Koko agreed with Aura.

"Alright, Koko, use String Shot on Squirtle!"

"Confusion." Ethel sighed as her Butterfree broke Koko's string shot before it could get close to Victor's Squirtle.

Aura gave Hue a nod.

Hue understood what she meant.

Butterfree was a threat, but Victor and his Squirtle were unpredictable.

The unknown enemy is always more dangerous than the known one.

They needed to be taken out first.

Hue nodded back.

"Ace, use Sand-Attack on Squirtle!"

"Pid-gey!" Ace cawed as she shot sand straight at Squirtle.

"Confus-" Ethel began to sigh.

"Koko, String Shot now!" Aura yelled before Ethel had the opportunity to disrupt Hue's Sand-Attack as Koko shot and wrapped Butterfree's foot in silk, and brought the bug down to the ground.

"What?"

"Squirtle, use Water Gun to get Butterfree out of there!" Victor called.  
Squirtle shot a Water Gun, but the water missed Koko and Butterfree thanks to the Sand-Attack. "Ace, let's use Gust on that Squirtle!"

"Pid-gey!" Ace's tornado was huge, and sent Victor's Squirtle flying back into a tree.

"Squirtle is unable to battle." The ref said. "Victor is out of the battle."

The crowd seemed impressed.

Victor however seemed incredibly irritated. He stomped the ground and left to retrieve his Squirtle.

"Butterfree, Confusion." Ethel said calmly.

"Oh no you don't!" Hue said, rather excited. "Ace, break Butterfree's concentration with G-"

The Butterfree's eyes shone blue and Ace herself became suspended in the air.

"This bird is getting rather annoying." Ethel said.

"Ace!" Hue called. "Hang in there!"

Damnit. He had thought she was going to use Confusion on the Kakuna, but no luck there apparently.

"It's futile." Ethel said calmly. "Once Butterfree is done with your Pidgey, disposing of the Kakuna will be nothing more than aftermath. For a beginner, you're smart, but you lack the ability to set up tricks beforehand…"

"Ngh…" Hue said. "Ace, get out of there if you can!"

"I told you. Ace can't do anything. You need to learn to go into things like these with a plan in mind or-"

"Oh, but we've had a plan in mind from the start!" Aura said with a smile. "Right Koko?"

"Kakuna." Koko said in agreement.

"Let's show pretty miss Ethel why calculations aren't always a good way to win, and let's save Ace while doing it!"

"Kaku...naaaaa!" Koko called as she began to glow in a bright white light.

Hue wasn't sure, but it appeared as though she was changing shape.

"Huh?" A trainer in the crowd said.

"It's…"

"So that's why…"

"An evolution mid-battle? This is awesome!"

"Beedrill!" Koko buzzed as the light cleared and a Beedrill was still holding Butterfree by a string shot.

Hue held up his pokedex to the Beedrill.

"[Beedrill], The [Poison Bee] Pokemon. This Pokemon is an evolved form of [Weedle], following its [Kakuna] stage. Its sting is highly poisonous."

So this is what Aura was talking about earlier…

This was why she used Koko, and immobile pokemon, in the battle. She'd get the experience she needed to evolve into her final stage...

"Wha! Butterfree, leave the Pidgey, use Confusion on the Beedrill!" Ethel said, clearly not having expected an evolution mid-battle.

Of course, who would?

Apparently Aura knew it was a possibility...

"Freeee!" Butterfree let Ace go, and Ace began to fall.

"Ace!" Hue called. "Ace, can you hear me? I need you to keep going! Aura needs our help now!"

"Pid-gey!" Ace called, as it charged into Butterfree faster than Hue could even blink.

"Amazing!" A trainer said. "That's Quick Attack!"

"Quick Attack huh…" Hue said. "Way to go Ace, now pull back!"

"Pull back? I don't think so!" Ethel said, semi-forcefully. "Butterfree, use Stun Spore!"

Ace fell to the ground.

"It's okay." Aura told Hue. "Ace is only suffering from paralysis. She can still fight if movement is restricted." Aura turned to Ethel.

"Finally stopped spamming Confusion, huh? Good. The same strategy was getting old."

"And you? first your Weedle evolves mid-battle against me, and now that same pokemon evolves mid-battle against me again?" Ethel asked, possibly legitimately curious about the circumstances.

"I never once thought you'd use the same trick twice. Of course we both know how it ended the _first_ time."

Ethel had accomplished the impossible.

She'd riled Aura up to the point where Aura was visibly angry.

"Fury Attack!" Aura yelled.

Koko let out two jabs, the first one Butterfree managed to dodge, but the second one got Butterfree right in the chest.

"Freee…" Butterfree said as it hovered back from Koko.

"Drillll…" Koko buzzed.

"I believe it's time to end your fun." Ethel said, having showed little to no emotion the entire battle. "Butterfree...Psybeam."

"Freee!" Butterfree shot a giant psychic beam at Koko, which she took head on and fell to the ground.

"Koko!" Aura called.

"Koko is unable to battle." The ref said. "Aura is out of the battle."

"You can do it, Huey!" Aura gave him a thumbs up. "Show this chick not to mess with us!"

"Oh, I doubt that you're paralyzed bird can do anything right now." Ethel said. "Paralysis decreases speed drastically you see. Butterfree and I have already won this battle."

Hue remained silent.

Had he really lost again?

No..

Aura said that he could do it, and she didn't give meaningless support to anyone.

She certainly didn't when they first met…

That meant that there was a fundamental weakness somewhere in Ethel's strategy and assumptions.

"Butterfree…" Ethel began.

But what was that weakness or flaw?

"Use…"

Ah-ha!

"Conf-"

"Ace! Quick Attack now!" Hue yelled.

"Pid-gey!" Ace cawed as she shot past the Butterfree.

The crowd went silent.

Butterfree fell down to the ground.

"Butterfree is unable to battle! The winner is Pidgey! Which means the winning team of the match is Hue and Aura!" The ref announced.

"Great job, Koko!" Aura said as she embraced her Beedrill. " You're evolution saved our skin! I'm so proud of you!"

"Drill!" Koko buzzed cheerfully.

"Good job Butterfree." Ethel said with a small smile as she patted her Butterfree. "You fought hard and well."

"How the fuck could we lose?" Victor punched the tree that his Squirtle was resting under. "He must have cheated somehow! Yeah, that's it!"

"Hey." Hue called out to Victor as he held out his arm for Ace to perch on.

"I don't know who you are or what your beef with Donovan is, but a deal is a deal, pay up."

"Tch." Victor huffed as he handed Hue 1000 pokeyen. "Half of it is Donovan's anyways." He said before leaving.

"Aren't you going to heal Squirtle in the pokemon center?" Hue asked.

Victor just waved goodbye.

What an asswipe.

"Remind me never to team up with _that_ dense motherfucker again." Ethel said, still monotone. She smiled at her Butterfree.

"You were excellent today as always. I'll make sure you get plenty of rest."

Hue wondered how Ethel could be so stone cold in battle, and then instantly be friendly right when it's over...

"Oh yeah…" Hue said as he returned Ace, and Douglas let himself out to rest on Hue's head.

"Squirtle squirtle." He said as if to say "Don't mind me, just doing my thing."

"Ethel…" Hue held out a hand. "Great battle! We should have one again sometime. Only without outside help on either side!"

"I'd like that very much." Ethel said with a smile.

Yes! She smiled at him!

That had to be a good sign when she's the one smiling.

She looked over at the ref. "Well? Tell him the bet!"

"Right…" The ref walked up to Hue, and then pulled Hue into the bushes.

"Hue?" Aura asked.

"Ugh." Ethel shook her head. "He's fine. The ref is probably a little jealous."

"Dude, how did you do it?" The ref asked. "How did you get these two gorgeous girls to be so friendly with you? And on top of that, one of them is _Ethel Ross_!"

"Uhh…." Hue said nervously. He honestly wasn't sure. "So...the bet?"  
"Oh right…" The ref said. "Well...she owes you a favor."

That's it?

That didn't seem like something to be getting so worked up over.

"Dude, I'm not a criminal. It doesn't need to be so low key like this when you tell me…"

"No you don't understand….This is _Ethel Ross_ we're talking about here! You could-"

"That's enough out of you." Ethel said as she pinched the ref's ear and tossed him like a rag doll.

"A favor huh?" Hue asked. "Just out of curiosity, what would you have asked me to do as my favor to you?"

"Oh…" Ethel looked away, and began to stroke her long white ponytail. "I uh...I was juggling a few ideas around…" She glanced over at Aura.

"But it looks like someone beat me to the punch…" She mumbled.

"What was that?" Hue asked, unclear of what was just said.

"Nothing important." Ethel sighed. "You can use your pokedex to call on me if you ever want to cash in my favor. As long as it's legal and moral, I don't mind doing it."

"Hue…" Aura called. "Come on, let's go check it out!"

"It looks like your partner is calling you." Ethel said with a smile. "I'll see you around Hue."

"Yeah. And we should battle when we next meet." Hue replied.

They shook hands and parted ways.

"Finally…" Aura said. "Come on partner, we ought to check it out while we're here!"

"Wait..you were serious?" Hue asked.

He had thought the entire time that Aura was just lying about traveling together in order to battle Ethel again...

"Of course I was…" Aura said, pausing. "Did you think I was joking?"

"But why did...Why choose to travel with me? You're stronger than I am!"  
"Oh am I?" Aura said with a mischievous smile. "Then why question my decisions?"

"Aura…"

Hue knew there was some important reason Aura's attitude had changed so much.

"Okay, you want to know the real reason I've decided that we're traveling together from now on? It's because of your play style."

"My play style? I don't get it."

"Yeah, join the club." Aura snickered. "To be perfectly honest, I've never met someone who seems so experienced yet so inept at the same time."

"Is this a praise or a pity party?" Hue asked.

"A little bit of both!" Aura chimed happily.

"Squirtle." Douglas laughed nervously atop Hue's head.

"In any case." Aura continued. "It really just boils down to this: You might complain, but you're a go with the flow kind of person who enjoys the challenge of adapting to new situations. People like that are hard to come by these days. My battles involving you have been so much more fun than my battles with other people, and we've only experienced two battles together. You're fun to be around for me, so we're going to travel together…"

Hue knew this wasn't the whole story but...

She suddenly seemed very sad.

"Unless...you don't want to...that'd be okay too...I can continue looking for someone else-"

"Whoa whoa whoa, no need for the water works!" Hue said, gesturing rapidly. "I'm happy to have you along. I was just surprised you weren't going to leave me in an alley somewhere or something!"

"That would hardly be fun." Aura winked, making Hue almost instantly regret allowing her to invite herself on his journey.

That is not a reassuring response.

"Now come on. We should check it out!"

"Check what out?" Hue asked.

"The _Gym_ dummy." Aura said. "We should go and get badges!"

Both their stomachs growled.

"Maybe tomorrow morning." Hue said with a smile. "I don't know about you, but I'm starving. Come on. Dinner will be on me tonight."

"O-on you?" Aura seemed nervous.

"What? If we're a team we'll be eating together, and camping together too if we ever need to set up camp in the wilderness."

"Y-yeah." Aura said with a smile.

The Pokemon Center bedrooms were unisex and could hold up to four different trainers to a room. Hue and Aura took the one on the far end of the hallway.

"Hey…" Hue said as Aura plopped herself on the bunk below the one Hue had climbed up on.

"Yeah?" She asked.

"When you came by the pokemon center earlier today. You had three pokemon on you. I know one of them is Koko and one of them is Fushi, your Bulbasaur...what's your last pokemon? The one in the special pokeball, I mean."

"A...special one…" Aura said. "It's a pokemon that my brother gave to me when I was very young, and that I brought with me to Pallet Town when I went to get Fushi from Professor Oak."

Hue could tell that this wasn't something Aura wanted to talk about.

Or at the very least, something she didn't think Hue was ready to hear.

"Well, I'm sure I'll see the little guy or girl when the time is right." Hue said.

"Yeah." Aura yawned. "What about you? Are those the only two pokemon on you?"

"Yeah." Hue replied.

"Plan to catch any more?"

"Well, yes, but I'm not quite sure what pokemon I want to catch…What about you?"

"I have a list of pokemon I want to catch in each region." Aura said. "You might say that I prioritize it over even the Pokemon League."

"You be sure to let me know if we ever come across a pokemon on your list then." Hue said. "I'll help you catch it."

"And you be sure to let _me_ know if we ever come across anything that piques your interests. I'm the one following you around after all."

"But aren't you the one who suggested going to the Gym tomorrow?"

"Yeah, but you'd have gone there any-*yaawwwn* anyway."

"Alright then. I guess I'll-"

Hue stopped.

Aura had fallen asleep.

"Well then." Hue said as he lay back on his own bunk.

"Goodnight, partner."


	4. Battle Of The Burning Brush

Chapter 4:

Battle of the Burning Brush

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Squirtle): Water Gun, Withdraw, Tackle, Bubble,

Ace(Pidgey): Sand-Attack, Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind

"A-Abandoned?" Aura asked the old man standing outside the gym in disbelief. "How in the world are we supposed to earn badges if the Gym doesn't even have a leader."  
"The gym has a leader." Hue said, examining the statues outside it.

"But he's apparently gone until 'A date which has yet to be determined'."

"Hrmmm…" Aura grumbled. "Well, so much for this being the first gym we conquer."

"Hey Aura…" Hue grinned. "How about we use the space for a training battle?"

"Let's keep our 50 pokeyen bet then." Aura said.

"I'm sorry, but the leader has expressly forbidden me from letting others into the gym." The old man standing outside said.

"Well fuck." Hue cursed.

"I guess we can come back later…" Aura said, biting her nail. "But if we can't go to this gym, the nearest one is in Pewter City."

"And to get there…" Hue looked through his guidebook. "We need to head north through the Viridian Forest."

As Hue and Aura entered the Viridian Forest, they met a trainer who was running in the other direction towards the Viridian Pokemon center.

"Don't go in there!" The boy said as he stopped to warn both Hue and Aura of some sort of danger.

"If she see's you, she's going to pulverize you!"

"Who?" Hue asked, more out of curiosity than caution.

"I...I didn't get her name…" The boy said. "But she was super strong!"

"Did you at least see what she looked like?" Aura asked, picking up on the fact that Hue wanted to find and battle this person.

"Well...She had long red hair, curly…"

Hue suddenly had a feeling he knew who it was.

"Listen…" He whispered to the boy so that Aura wouldn't hear. "How big or small were her boobs?"

"What? How am I supposed to-"

"No need to be specific, just tell me. Were her boobs big or small?"

"Sm…b...r..."

"Speak up!"

"They were small but round!" The boy yelled before running away.

"Yes!" Hue said. "I found her!"

"Found _who_?" Aura wondered.

"Aura, we're about to track down my adopted sister." Hue said with a grin. "And from the sound of things, she has plenty of money to give to us…"

Judging by the state of the forest's trees, Diane's path didn't seem to hard to follow.

"Most people avoid going towards the burning areas of a forest." Aura said with a snicker.

"I have Douglas." Hue pointed to Douglas resting on his head. "He can put any inconvenient fires out."

"Hue?" Diane's voice called out. "Bro, is that you?"

She walked out into the clearing where Hue and Aura were standing. "Hey, it _is_ you!"

"I've heard that you're terrorizing trainers here in the forest." Hue said with a smile.

"Have you got anything to say in your defense?"

"Of course I do!" Diane huffed. "I need to train Charolette." She pointed as her Charmander came over to join her. "I can't beat Brock in Pewter City if Charolette doesn't have a good way to deal with his Rock-Type pokemon!"

"Rock Types huh…" Hue said, scratching his head. "Rock is weak against Grass, Fighting, Water, Ground, and...Steel, right?"

"Well, normally, yes." Aura nodded. "But many of Brock's pokemon have a secondary type, so some weaknesses might be cancelled out, and some might be more effective than others."

"And who is _this_?" Diane slyly nudged Hue in the shoulder. "Have you got yourself a little girlfriend?"

"I'm Aura." Aura introduced herself. "Hue and I are traveling together since we both aim to challenge the league."

"Diane." Diane said as she held out a hand and Aura shook it. "I'm Hue's adopted younger sister." She nudged Aura in the shoulder. "So come on, tell me? Anything happening here or am I getting my hopes up?"

"We-we're just traveling together." Aura said, actually getting a little flustered. "Feelings h-have nothing to do with it…"

Diane seemed to pick up on something, but Hue didn't know what it was.

"Well, I'm glad you've found someone to keep you company." Diane said to Hue.

"What about you?" Aura asked. "Are you traveling with anyone right now?"

"Well…" Diane gritted her teeth. "I haven't actually given it much thought…"

Aura's piercing dark green eyes flickered. "In that case…"

"Aura…" Hue put a hand on Aura's shoulder. "If you're thinking about inviting Diane along, you should know that Diane, myself, and our friend Donovan all agreed that we wouldn't be travelling with each other."

"Alright then…" Aura said, sighing. She turned to Diane. "In any case. Hue wants to battle you."

"Hue…" Diane said, crossing her arms. "Are you picking on me because of Douglas's type advantage?"

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Hue backed up. "You don't need to use Charolette you know!"

"I'll battle you instead, if you prefer." Aura shrugged.

"No, Hue can battle me…" Diane said. "So what's the bet, bro? I've got plenty of money to spare."

"3000 pokeyen." Hue said.

Aura's jaw dropped.

"You're going to blow all our funds with wagers like that!"

"3000 pokeyen it is." Diane said as she produced the same amount of coins.

"One on One sound good to you?"

"Sounds great to me."

"I guess...I'll ref…" Aura said.

"You ready Douglas?" Hue asked as Douglas jumped off of Hue's head and onto the forest floor.

"Squirtle!" He nodded.

"Charolette, it's all you girl." Diane said.

"Answer me this, Diane…" Hue said. "Charolette isn't your only pokemon still is she?"

"Of course not!" Diane huffed. "But I'm busy training Charolette!"

"Okay, okay…" Hue backed off. "Just checking is all."

Fushi let himself out of his pokeball.

"Saurrr." He croaked at Aura.

"You want to watch Douglas battle?" Aura asked with a smile.

"Saur." Fushi nodded.

"The battle between Diane and Hue will now begin" Aura called. "Diane is using Charmander, while Hue is using Squirtle! The match will be over when one side's pokemon is no longer able to continue battling! Battle, start!"

"Charolette, use Smokescreen!" Diane called right away as Charolette let out a bunch of smoke from her mouth.

"Withdraw, Douglas!" Hue exclaimed as Douglas retreated into his shell.

Smokescreen was going to be hard to put up with.

He might as well bolster his defenses while he had the chance.

"Why are you running into your shell?" Diane asked. "It's just a Charmander…"

"Who said anything about running?" Hue retorted. "Douglas, Water Gun!"

"Squirtle!" Douglas gurgled as he shot water out from his shell, hitting Charolette right in her stomach.

"Yes! Great job Douglas!" Hue encouraged his Squirtle.

"Charolette!" Diane called. "Are you okay?"

"Chaaa…" Charolette said as she regained her footing.

"In that case, let loose with an Ember!"

"Chaaaaaaa!" Charolette spewed flames towards Douglas.

"You know what to do Douglas!" Hue called.

"Squirtle!" Douglas nodded as he used Withdraw again, and endured the Ember.

"The heck is he planning this time?" Aura mumbled to herself.

"Alright, Charolette, if he's not going to attack, we'll finish him off!" Diane said. "Use Ember once more!"

"Douglas…" Hue said with a smile as he adjusted his glasses. "Wait for the flame to hit you, then let loose with a Bubble attack!"

"Squir-...tletletletletletle!" Douglas gurgled as he spewed out Bubbles from his shell and effectively stopped the flames, a few stray bubbles even hit Charolette.

Hue grinned.

Douglas was getting a familiar blue glow.

"Torrent." Hue said to himself, recognizing it from his battle with Aura.

"Let's finish this off, Charolette!" Diane called. "Use Dragon Rage!"

"Hue, get Douglas out of there!" Aura screamed, worried enough to abandon her neutrality as a ref.

"Douglas!" Hue called, ignoring Aura. "Water Gun!"

The two attacks collided in midair and rain began to drop down onto the battlefield.

Rain huh…

"Douglas, Bubble once more!" Hue called.

"Squir-tletletletletletletle!" Douglas gurgled as a jetstream of bubbles came from his mouth.

"Ember!" Diane yelled.

No use.

The bubbles overpowered the flames and went straight into Charolette's underbelly.

She fell to the forest floor.

"Charmander is unable to battle. The winner is Squirtle, which means the victor of this match is Hue!" Aura said, more out of relief than excitement.

"You were great Charolette." Diane said as she returned her Charmander.

"You were great too." Hue praised Douglas.

"Squirtle!" Douglas beamed before he climbed back up onto Hue's head.

"When that guy evolves, he'll have to find somewhere else to rest." Diane said.

Douglas sighed as if to say that he knew that already.

"Squirrrr…"

"Well, here you are ya' swindler." Diane joked as she handed Hue 3000 pokeyen. "Charolette and I are going to go heal up in the Viridian City center, considering it's a little closer to here than the Pewter one. I'll give you a few calls now and again now that we've battled, so be sure to keep your dex handy at all times."

"I guess we'll see you around then." Hue said as he hugged his sister.

"See you around Huey!" Diane said. She turned to Aura. "Next time, I'll battle you! I'm interested to see what kind of trainer you are."

"Likewise." Aura curseyed.

With that, Diane disappeared into the forest.  
"Well, you were surprisingly well mannered." Hue joked as he and Aura continued through the forest.

"I'm always very polite with those I don't know." Aura said, quite matter-of-factly.

"In any case, is there anything you want to do in the forest? Because if there isn't we can just double-time it to Pewter."

Hue thought about it.

There weren't any pokemon in the forest that he felt compelled to catch, and the sooner Douglas got to a center, the better.

"Let's book it then." Hue said. "Sorry Douglas buddy, but you can't ride my head for this." Hue said as he returned his Squirtle.

"You go back too." Aura told Fushi. "I hope you had fun watching your friend Battle!"

After a rather fun jog through the forest, Hue and Aura exited through the north gate.

"Ahhh!"

"Ohhh!"

They had an amazing view of what was almost certainly Pewter City.

"Pewter City." Aura said, looking at her pokedex. "This is definitely it."

"Then we should get to the Pokemon Center asap." Hue said with a smile.

Aura nodded. "Right."

They both began to walk down the hill when Hue heard the second familiar voice of the day.

"Bud, finish it off with a Vine Whip!"

"Donovan?" Hue asked as he ran to where the voice was coming from.

"Hue!" Aura called after him. "Wait up! It's rude to ditch a lady like that!"

"Oh, sorry." Hue said as he ran back and grabbed Aura's hand. "Now come on. I think I heard someone I know."

"O-okay." Aura said, "But don't get into any battles, your pokemon are too worn out!"

Hue dragged Aura to where he believed Donovan's voice was coming from, and saw Donovan picking up a pokeball from the ground.

"Donovan!" Hue called.

Donovan turned and smiled at Hue.

"Well, I'll be damned. You caught up to me!" He said cheerfully. "Hey man, how are you doing?"

"Pretty well!" Hue said with a smile. His tone then changed. "Donovan, what was with that Victor guy that challenged me? He said that you sent him to me."

"I told him that you were better with training a Squirtle than he was…" Donovan said. "I admit, part of it was me being a sore loser, but I stand by it."

"Saurr!" Bud exclaimed as it brushed up against Donovan's leg.

" _Another_ Bulbasaur?" Aura asked. "I didn't realize it was such a popular choice…"

"Oh...is this your girlfriend?" Donovan asked.

"We're just traveling together…" Aura laughed nervously.

"But...you're holding hands…"

"That was me dragging her over here." Hue admitted as he let go of Aura's hand.

"In any case, that Victor guy got in the way of a battle I had scheduled and basically I never got to have the one on one battle I wanted with Ethel."

"Ethel?" Donovan asked.

"Oh right, you probably don't know her…" Hue chuckled.

"I know her." Donovan said seriously. "Ethel Ross, right?"

Both Hue's and Aura's jaws dropped.

"Yeah, she won a badge in Pewter and was taking it straight to the first guard of the gates leading to the Indigo Plateau."

"So...is he your adopted brother?" Aura asked, changing the topic.

"Oh...no, I'm Donovan Key. You can call me Don. Hue and I are very good friends. It was hard for us to agree to the terms of not traveling with each other or Diane, but we still managed to. And what is your name?"

"Aura Jones." Aura curtseyed again. "Hue's my new side-kick."

"Hey, you said you were following _me_ around!" Hue said.

"I am. A team is only as strong as its weakest link after all."

"I don't think I care for this new attitude of yours…" Donovan said. "You can't just insult my friend like that and get away with it!"

"Oh really? I'll have you know that I've defeated your friend in battle before, and you weren't even there to cheer him on despite having just started your journey. Furthermore, there's nothing wrong with being inferior to me. It gives him something to strive for. Do you want to take that away from him?"

"I kind of just want you to be quiet."

"Donovan, don't pick a fight with this chick." Hue said. "She's more tactful than even I am."

"I'm not the one picking fights!" Donovan protested.

"She's probably behaving this way to aggravate you into challenging her to a battle." Hue guessed.

Aura let out a giant sigh.

"Bingo." She said. "I want to put in at least one battle before going to the Pewter Pokemon Center."

"Alright then…" Donovan said. "How about a quick one on one battle?"

"Fushi…" Aura called sweetly.

"Bulba-saur!" Fushi said as he appeared next to Aura.

"I'll be using this little guy." Aura said. "You can use any one pokemon you like against him. It could even be one of mine or one of Hue's if he'll allow it. Fushi will _still_ defeat you."

"We'll see about that…" Donovan said as he looked down at a pokeball.

"Bulbasaur is a Grass and Poison Type, which makes this pokemon I just caught my best choice to use against you."

Donovan tossed his Pokeball. "Go! Arfy!"

"Arfy?" Hue asked, confused.

"It's a nickname." Donovan said as he put the pokeball away.

Facing off against Fushi...was a Growlithe.


	5. The Pewter Tournament!

Chapter 5:

The Pewter Tournament!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Squirtle): Water Gun, Withdraw, Tackle, Bubble

Ace(Pidgey): Sand-Attack, Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind

"Growlithe….' Donovan's Growlithe, Arfy, growled at Aura and her Bulbasaur.

"Hm…" Hue lifted his pokedex to the Growlithe.

"[Growlithe], The [Puppy] Pokemon. Of pleasant demeanor and great diligence. While loyal to its master, it will drive away enemies by barking and biting."

"Says here it's a fire-type…" Hue noticed in his pokedex. He turned to Aura.

"Are you sure this is going to work out in your favor?"

"I said it before, and I'll say it again. Fushi can defeat any pokemon Donovan sends out." Aura repeated, sticking to her words despite the glaringly obvious type disadvantage.

"Aren't you the one that lectured me about the importance of types earlier?" Hue whispered. "How the hell do you expect to win?"

"Watch and you'll see." Aura said with a wink. "Everything I do in each battle is planned, not once have I been caught off-guard."

"Well what about when Ethel took out Koko in that tag-battle?"

"Koko and I knew full well that evolving would mean she'd get taken out of the battle, but if we didn't your Pidgey would have been toast. Ideally we could have ended it there with our fury attack, but luck just wasn't on our side that day. Now, pay attention. I'm about to show you a fundamental mistake that your friend has made."

She turned to face Donovan, before looking back at Hue.

"Oh, and would you be a dear and ref the match for us?"

"O-oh...y-yeah…." Hue said rather nervously as he found a suitable spot to stand.

"The match between Aura and Donovan will now begin...Aura is using Bulbasaur, while Donovan is using Growlithe. The match will be over when either side's pokemon is unable to continue battling. Battle...Start!"

'Arfy, let's start this off with a Bite!" Donovan called.

"Growlithe!" Arfy agreed as it bit onto Fushi's bulb.

"Saurrr…" Fushi grunted in pain.

"Stay calm, Fushi, and use Leech Seed!"

That move again…

Hue remembered how the damage it did over time had gradually taken him by surprise during their first battle. If it weren't for that move, he might have won that match…

"Bulba!" Fushi yelled as strange plant vines began to dig themselves into Arfy's skin, sapping the health out of him.

"Growllll!" Arfy howled in agony.

"Arfy, try to Roar it off!" Donovan called.

"That's not going to work." Aura said confidently.

Sure enough, she was right.

All Arfy did was scream in agony even louder than before, letting go of Fuji in the process.

"That's what I thought…" Aura said with a devilish grin as Hue noticed the leech seeds had rooted themselves in Arfy's mouth.

"Fushi…let's end this farce."

"You sound like Ethel, using words like 'farce'." Hue said.

"Don't remind me." Aura smirked while rolling her eyes. "Fushi, dear, a Tackle should be enough."

"What?" Donovan asked confused.

"Saur!" Fushi slammed into Arfy.

Arfy fell to the ground just as Aura predicted.

"Growlithe is...unable to battle…." Hue said, dumbfounded. "The winner is Bulbasaur, which means Aura is the victor of the match…"

"Great job, Fushi!" Aura chimed as she praised her Bulbasaur before returning him.

She turned to Donovan.

"I would have thought a friend of Hue's would be _observant_ but I guess not." She said. "You had no chance of winning against Fushi, even with a more powerful type."

"Okay...Okay…" Donovan said, gesturing for Aura to quit acting to hostile. "How about you explain it to me while I get you two something to eat? You've been hiking through the forest all day after all. Think of it as my punishment for losing the match. You must be starving!"

"I am…" Hue said, rubbing his stomach.

"Food sounds like a plan!" Aura chimed, her demeanor changing back to a more pleasant one.

What was with this girl?

"You're pokemon are all back to full health!" Nurse Joy said as she handed Donovan, Aura, and Hue all their pokemon.

"Nurse Joy?" Hue asked. "When did you transfer?"

"Oh, I didn't transfer. I come from a whole family of Joys, we all look very similar so it can be hard to tell us apart…"

"So…" Donovan said as he brought Hue and Aura trays full of food and they all sat down at a table. "What's the deal with Arfy biting the dust so quickly like that?"

"Donovan…" Hue said, having figured at least part of the problem out. "It was glaringly obvious that Arfy wasn't at his full battling capacity from the beginning. In fact you mentioned that you had _just_ caught him."

"The very first thing you should do after catching a pokemon is head to the Pokemon Center and heal it." Aura agreed, nodding. "Unless…"

"Unless what?" Hue turned his head.

"You already have six on you. In which case, it'll be sent to the Professor that you're registered under. In our case, it's Professor Oak. And besides…" Aura took a sip of her drink as her piercing eyes darted from Hue to Donovan and back again. "There's a _second_ mistake Donovan made. Care to guess this one Hue?"

"Hmm…" Hue scratched his chin as he looked up and out the window at the afternoon sky. "It was a little suspicious… but I'm not sure…"

"What was suspicious?" Aura egged him on as she began a bowl of ramen.

"Well...Don stated at the beginning of the battle that he knew Arfy would be effective against Grass Types...so he knew that Arfy was a Fire-type pokemon...Why did he lead off with Bite, when a Fire-type attack would have been more effective?"

"He led off with Bite because…" Aura pointed her chopsticks at Donovan.

"I'll let you give the embarrassing answer."

Donovan sighed. "It turns out that Arfy only knew Bite and Roar…" He said looking down. "In other words, using a Fire-type move was impossible for me…" He let out a nervous laugh. "Eh-heh…"

"Yet, you clearly used you Bulbasaur to capture it." Aura said. "That much was clear by the situation you were in when we met up with you. "That's how I knew Fushi would be able to defeat you, no matter which pokemon you used."

"Well, what if I had taken one of Hue's or your Pokemon?"

"They'd all been injured due to previous battles. Fushi was the only one with full energy. He still would have pulled through, and besides, you wouldn't have used pokemon other than your own anyway. You're a registered trainer, so you take pride in the pokemon you catch and train on your own, and battle with them to see how far they've come and what they can improve on. If you just use pokemon that others have trained, you aren't a real trainer."

Hue and Donovan stared at Aura in silence for a few moments before both standing up and clapping.

"Amazing speech!" Donovan said.

"Way to go, Aura!" Hue encouraged her. "Such beautiful words as those have never been spoken!"

"Mm?" Aura asked, as she looked up from the ramen bowl she had apparently gone back to. "What're you looking at, Hue?" She asked. "I don't have anything on my face do I?"

"N-no!" Hue said, getting flustered.

Had he really been staring at her?

"Hah!" Aura laughed. "Got you!"

"Wha-?"

"You were probably all like 'Oh, have I really been staring at her'? I could totally see it in your face, hahaha! Relax, I was just messing with you."

"You have a strange sense of humor, you know." Hue said as he dug into his food.

As Hue said that, a boy his age with gelled blonde hair walked into the building.

On his shoulder was a Squirtle, and he was carrying a pokemon Hue had never seen before.

"Oh, Davon!" Nurse Joy said. "How did attempt number two go?"

"We managed to acquire the badge…" Davon said as he preened his hair. "But as you can see, Machop here could really use some touch-ups. Hopefully the tournament hasn't started yet…"

"Tournament?" Hue couldn't help asking.

This word also piqued Aura's interest as well. She tugged on Hue's sleeve, and pulled herself up to a standing position.

"Tournament?" She asked.

"Oh…" Nurse Joy said. "Davon, those three are pokemon trainers just like you. They also got their starter pokemon from Professor Oak."

"I see…" Davon said. He walked up to Hue, Aura, and Donovan and gave an elegant bow.

"Davon Le Rouge, at your services. Always a pleasure to meet fellow trainers."

He looked over at the Squirtle on his shoulder. "Oh yes, and here's my partner, say 'hi' Squirtle."

"Squirtle…" Squirtle gurgled as a greeting.

"Squirtle!" Douglas let himself out of his pokeball and onto Hue's head.

"You're gonna get Shell Shocked if he keeps that up." Aura said with a grin.

"Oh, right." Hue said, remembering introduction. "I'm Hue, and this is my Squirtle, Douglas. Nice to meet you!"

"I'm Aura…" Aura said with clearly no interest in introductions. "What's this I hear about a tournament?"

"It's a small tournament that's being held tomorrow." Davon said. "You participate in it with a single pokemon each. I'm not sure how many people will sign up, but if you manage to win the tournament, one of two things will happen. If you don't have a Boulder badge yet, Brock will appear and challenge you to a One on One match, and it will count as a gym battle for the badge."

"So, for the three of us, the reward is a one on one against the gym leader?" Donovan asked.

"That's correct." Davon said. "But you actually have more to gain for winning."

Davon looked around before whispering. "Apparently, a pokemon Egg is given to the tournament winner!"

"An...Egg?" Hue asked, unsure of what to make of that.

"Of what pokemon?" Aura inquired.

Davon stroked his gelled hair back. "I haven't the foggiest idea. I'd like to think it's rare though. Wouldn't be much of a prize to get a Pidgey egg or something like that. For all I know, it could be a pokemon from another region…"

"So...what if someone already has the Boulder badge, do they just get the egg?" Hue asked.

"They said that if one already had the Boulder badge, they would get the egg, along with tickets to the marvelous S.S. Anne's luxury liner Pokemon Party." Davon answered as he twisted his finger around in his hair. "It's a bit of a fancy shin-dig and only the strong or rich can attend."

Donovan, Hue, and Aura all looked at each other.

A one on one match against Brock if they won the tournament, along with a pokemon egg…

"Sign ups happen right here tomorrow morning." Davon said as he retrieved his now treated Machop from Nurse Joy and returned it. "I hope to see you all there. And remember, you can only use the one pokemon for the entire tournament, including your battle with Brock, so choose wisely."

"Brock uses...Rock types…" Hue said to himself while he and Aura settled into a room. "But….everyone else is surely thinking that too, aren't they?"

"I'm going with Koko." Aura said. "I've got this in the bag. I wonder what my egg will hatch into."

"Someone's confident…"

"Of course I am." Aura yawned. "Without you to worry about, Koko isn't going to lose any one on one matches…"

"I find your faith in yourself both inspiring and disturbing...I'm pretty sure a Beedrill isn't the best choice to use against Brock…"

"Oh? And I suppose you think you can win the tournament with your Squirtle? Sorry, that isn't going to happen…Your friend is no doubt going to use his Bulbasaur, and I'm sure other trainers will be thinking along the same lines."

"And Ace is a poor choice against Brock…" Hue added. "Ugh! I'm screwed either way!"

"Now now…" Aura said with a glint in her piercing eyes. "I think I might be able to give you a _small_ amount of help."

She wrote some stuff down on a piece of paper, and handed it to Hue.

"You just follow these instructions with Ace, and she'll have a move that could help her defeat Brock. Of course, that's assuming you can actually best me, which I highly doubt."

"Thanks Aura!" Hue said as he looked at the paper. "I'll get to work on this first thing in the morning! I owe you one!"

"I'll remember that." Aura yawned with a smirk. "'Night, partner."

"'Night, partner."

As everyone gathered for the Pewter Tournament, Hue noticed a few familiar faces. Donovan and Davon were both there of cause.

That Victor guy from before was there too…

There was him and Aura there….

And...Diane had apparently returned to Pewter for the tournament.

There was also this girl with long blonde hair that Hue didn't know. She was wearing a lot of make-up, and following her around was this other girl with a head of short brown hair save for a single pink highlight.

What Hue noticed most about this second girl though, was the fact that one of her eyes was green, but the other was blue.

"Only eight people in total?" Hue wondered aloud as he returned to where Aura was, on a bench, waiting.

"Apparently." She said. "But I think most trainers don't normally participate in these. They usually enjoy watching others and taking notes and the works. That's why this area is so like a festival right now."

"Want some cotton candy?" Hue asked, half joking, half aching for a chance to snack on some junk food.

"Why not?" Aura shrugged. "We have a little while before the tournament starts anyway."

"So…" Hue said as they walked around the area, eating cotton candy. "You signed up with Koko?"

"Yep!" Aura beamed. "She'll be happy to have a chance to battle and test out her newfound power from evolution!"

Aura turned to face Hue. "What about you? You sign up with Ace?"

"Yeah…" Hue said, scratching his head. "Thanks again for the help!"

"Don't think buying me cotton candy has made me forget that you owe me a favor further down the road." Aura smirked.

"Hey, so long as it's legal."

As they were walking, Hue noticed her standing there, looking at a monitor showing the contestants.

"Ethel?"

Ethel turned around. Her stoic expression did not change.

"Oh. Hue. Hello. It's good to see you again."

"Are you here to participate in the tournament?" Aura asked. "You better sign up before-"

"I'm not participating." Ethel stated as she pulled out a slip of paper from her purse-like bag.

"I already won the last Tournament. In fact, my egg has already hatched."

Hue noticed that Ethel had pulled out a ticket for the SS Anne.

"I had hoped we could get a quick battle in ourselves." Ethel continued as she started to allow a small smile to escape. "But seeing as how you are starting the tournament soon...I guess I'll just have to sit here and watch to see exactly what you've done to improve-"

"Attention all contestants, the tournament is about to start. I repeat, the tournament is about to start! The first round match-ups will now be decided, please look at the monitor nearest you!"

Hue, Aura, and Ethel all looked up at the monitor.

Pictures of all eight participant's faces were being displayed, much like cards on a table.

The monitor then shuffled the faces around and then displayed the match-ups.

Davon VS Hue…

Aura VS Victor…

Donovan VS That girl with the blonde hair and make-up…

and Diane VS That girl with the mismatched eyes.

"Already up against him, huh?" Hue mumbled to himself. He looked down at Ace's pokeball.

This was it….

He looked at Aura who nodded a silent nod to him before he walked towards the battlefield.

The first round of the Tournament had begun.


	6. Karakara

Chapter 6:

Karakara

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Squirtle): Water Gun, Withdraw, Tackle, Bubble

Ace(Pidgey): Mud-Slap, Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind

Round 1 of the tournament was under way.

Hue took his place on the battlefield, opposite Davon Le Rouge.

He was starting to get nervous.

This was a public battle after all.

Crowds were watching.

Ethel was watching.

What if he ended up losing really badly?

Aura would probably find someone more 'fun' to travel with…

That isn't what Hue wanted to happen.

Even with Aura traveling with him, he could still feel a sense of isolation. After all, he barely knew her.

She was nice enough in her own way but...that was it…

He had agreed to her hasty claim that they would travel together out of his own fear that no one would come along…

That was why he needed to win this tournament.

Hue wanted, no, _needed_ to prove to himself that he was strong enough that others would want to travel with him…

"Are you ready, Hue?" Davon asked as he held up a pokeball. "I'm sorry to take you out of the tournament this early, but it isn't like the gym is going anywhere, you can challenge it later!"

Hue wished he could counter Davon with the same confidence, but knew he couldn't.

"Ready when you are." He managed to say before gulping and grabbing Ace's pokeball.

From what Hue had seen of Ace so far, she was rather strong and ferocious for a Pidgey, a pokemon that the pokedex said was an easy capture…

"Go!" Hue and Davon both yelled.

Ace flew out of her pokeball and landed on the battlefield.

Across from her, Davon had sent out his Machop from earlier.

Hue didn't have the opportunity the previous day, but now he took out his pokedex and scanned the Machop.

"[Machop], The [Superpower] Pokemon." Dean informed him. "It's body is pure muscle. It's special attack is the Seismic Toss."

"A fighting type…" Hue noted. "Ace should have the advantage here…"

"The first match of the the first round will now begin!" The ref said. "Davon and Machop versus Hue and Pidgey. The match will be over when one side's pokemon is no longer able to continue. Battle...Start!"

"Let's make the first move with a Quick Attack!" Hue called out to Ace.

"Pid-gey!" Ace cooed as she zoomed at Machop at full speed.

"Catch it!" Davon proclaimed.

Catch it?

As soon as Ace collided with Machop, Machop lifted its hands and took hold of both of Ace's wings.

"Seismic Toss it into the ground!" Davon called.

"Maaaa-chop!" Machop threw Ace into the dirt, creating a massive cloud.

"Ace!" Hue called.

So that was...Seismic Toss…

He needed to be careful.

"Pidgey…." Ace chirped as she stood back up.

"Gust!" Hue ordered as Ace summoned a large tornado.

"Machop, endure it and then let loose with a Revenge attack!" Davon called.

Hue watched in amazement as Machop endured Ace's Gust attack head on.

"Chop…."

"Ace, don't let him get that hit in! Use Quick Attack!" Hue called.

Ace zoomed passed Machop, knocking him off balance.

"Great, Ace!" Hue called. "Now let's finish him off with a G-"

"Machop, use Rock Tomb!" Davon yelled, part of his gelled hair coming undone.

The rocks that Machop summoned crushed Ace one after another, creating a huge cloud of dust.

"Ace!" Hue called.

When all the dust cleared….

"Pidgey is unable to battle…" The ref said. "The winner is Machop, which means the winner of this match is Davon!"

"Ace!" Hue ran out onto the field and picked up his Pidgey.

"Are you okay girl?" Hue asked.

"Pidgey…" Ace cooed apologetically.

"You were great, Ace…" Hue told her, fighting his urge to break down. "Let's get you to the Pokemon Center…"

Hue ran off of the battlefield, carrying Ace in his arms.

"Hue?" Aura asked as he ran passed her. "They can heal your pokemon at that booth over there. Where are you going?"

"I'm leaving." Hue choked, before speeding up towards the pokemon center.

"Hue…" Aura said softly. She looked down at her pokeballs, then at the monitor...and then at Ethel.

"That must have taken him by surprise." Ethel said, in her monotone voice as she prepared to leave. "I doubt he's in any mood to treat me to a true battle now…" She was about to leave the area when.

"Ethel." Aura said as she stood in Ethel's way.

Aura held out a small medal, indicating that she was a participant, and handed it to Ethel.

"Take my space. I'm dropping out."

"What?!" Ethel was not expecting such a request.

"I...I need to introduce Hue to someone…" Aura said, looking down at her pokeballs.

"Oh." Ethel nodded. She had seen this 'someone' Aura was referring to when she and Aura had thei battle just outside Viridian city earlier.

Ethel nodded again.  
"Of course. I understand."

"Your pokemon are back up to full health!" Nurse Joy said with a smile. "We hope you continue to use the Pokemon Center for your healing purposes."

"It appears that a last minute substitution has been made folks!" A monitor and speaker played in the corner of the Pokemon Center. "Instead of Aura Jones, Ethel Ross has taken her place instead! Ethel won the last tournament with her Butterfree, but it appears she's using her Bulbasaur this time around! This gives her a bit of a disadvantage against-"

"Ugh." Hue walked into the hallway leading to the room where he and Aura had spent the last night.

"Squirtle?" Douglas asked as he let himself out of his pokeball.

"Pidgey?" Ace let herself out as well.

"What is she thinking?" Hue asked as he slammed his fist into the wall. "She shouldn't drop out of the tournament just because I lost…"

As those last words left his mouth, Hue realized exactly what he had said.

He lost.  
In front of all those people…

In front of his friends…

"Rock Tomb's a bitch huh…" Aura's voice said as she entered the room. "Hue, what are you doing here? Where's this depressing behavior coming from?"

Hue didn't exactly know what he was doing. He took his glasses off and inhaled a deep breath.

"I don't fucking know…" He said as he exhaled. "It's just...every single one of my battles has been either a close call, a loss, or both... I'm not sure I'm cut out for being a trainer…"

"Hue...don't say things like that…" Aura said, pouting. "Those aren't fun thoughts to think about."

"Squirtle!" Douglas agreed.

"Pidgey!" Ace joined in what was quickly becoming an intervention.

"So you lost a match." Aura said. "Everyone loses. A lot. You don't become the best you can be just by existing, you have to work at it."

"Work at it...I did that with Ace this morning. Didn't even get a chance to _use_ the move."

"Even with an extraordinary amount of work…" Aura said as she grabbed hold of one of her pokeballs. "There's always a way for life to throw a curveball at you."

She looked Hue in the eyes.

Hers were dark green, and piercing, and Hue felt almost hypnotized by them.

"I wasn't planning to use her until a gym battle, but I'll show you my third pokemon. A story comes along with her so be ready."

"I doubt any pokemon will be helpful in this-"

Aura was not paying attention.  
She sent out her pokemon.

"Hue...say hello to Karakara…"

Hue was now face to face with a Cubone….

A shiny Cubone.

"Do you want to check your pokedex for info on Karakara?" Aura asked

"Her dark green skin matches your eyes." Hue observed as he pulled out his pokedex

"[Cubone]" Dean buzzed. "The [Lonely] Pokemon. A Ground-type pokemon, Cubone has earned its classification as The Lonely Pokemon from its usual attitude of caring only for itself."

"Bone…Cuuuu" Karakara rattled as she hid behind Aura's leg.

"There, there…" Aura said as she picked Karakara up. "It's okay. This boy is not going to hurt you…"

"That...you're going to use _that_ in gym battles?"

"You might not think it, but Karakara is my strongest pokemon."

"Squirtle!" Douglas climbed up Aura's leg to say hello to Karakara.

"Bone." Karakara clonked Douglas on the head with her bone.

"I was given Karakara by...by my older brother." Aura said. "I never knew my parents. He raised me. And…"

Hue didn't like where this was going.

"And Karakara is all I have to remember him by…" Aura said. "But he loved pokemon, and battling," She let out a weak smile.

"Aura…"

"Even though I never really ever asked, he would offer to play with me and have me play with him, and it was always really fun. Not because we were battling or training pokemon…'But because I'm doing all these things with you, Aura' he would always tell me that...But now...now all that's left of him is the one pokemon he left me with. He had once said that Karakara and I were more alike than I would ever know...And now he's gone and can't live his dream any longer. That's why I'm still partaking in the league." Aura concluded.

"I've told you already that my own goal is simply catching the pokemon that I'm interested in, but my brother….his goal is important too! I just know he wants me to challenge all the gyms in the region, and then the league, and he wants me to do it with Karakara, I just know he does!"

"That's...I'm sorry to hear about that…" Hue said. "I'm sure Diane knows how you feel. She never knew her birth parents either. They were both...Well, they both passed long before their times. My own father was the godfather, but he passed away soon after as well. My mother has done her best to raise the two of us and my younger sister ever since."

"I thought so…" Aura's eyes narrowed. "My brother...it wasn't anywhere near his time either. He...he did leave behind a message though...about who was responsible for his sudden departure from the world of the living."

Wait...Aura's brother...was _murdered_?

"NTR." Aura said as she showed Hue three bright red letters on a piece of black cloth. "I want to know what it means. I want to...I want to know who took my brother away from me. Then I can send them to the prisons myself..."

"Boooonnnneeee!" Karakara rattled in Aura's arms, in agreement.

Hue felt bad for Aura, listening to her story, but he still didn't understand.  
"And what is the point of all of this?" He finally asked.

"If you want to do that, you're better off finding someone strong and well suited to be a trainer to travel with…"

"Are you really that dense?" Aura wondered. "Hue...I've told you once, and I'll tell you a thousand times over. My reason for traveling and my reason for traveling with you are completely different. I travel because its serious. I choose to travel with you because I have fun around you."

"You aren't having fun right now…"

"And you aren't either." Aura sighed. "You lost because of something you didn't expect. _Get over it_. Don't let it knock you down, figure out what went wrong and train to get stronger.

Being a trainer isn't about winning and losing. It's about learning and teaching. Now come on, there must be something you like to do that I can use as an excuse to keep you around."

"I do like learning about the different pokemon out there…" Hue answered honestly. "I think its fun to draw my battle inspiration from the info I find in my pokedex…"

"Then do _that_." Aura said as she sat down beside him. "Hue, you shouldn't judge yourself so harshly just for losing a battle. It happens to everyone. All the time. We just need to work on perfecting your style. You'll get there…"

"Thanks, Aura." Hue said, legitimately feeling better. "And of course, I'm willing to help you in all your endeavors as well, but...It's just…"

"What now?"

"Why? Why tag along with me in the first place? it isn't like I ever offered…"

Aura's eyes squinted. They were piercing enough before, but now Hue was afraid that they might turn into actual daggers at any second.

"I stand by my initial answer to that question." Aura said seriously. "I have more fun with you around, even if all you do is mope like a grade-schooler."

Hue knew that wasn't the whole truth.

There was definitely a reason.

A reason she decided to tag along with Hue...and whatever that reason was, Aura wasn't going to reveal it any time soon.

"Well...I guess..." Hue got up as he picked up Douglas and put him atop his head. He returned Ace to her pokeball. He'd have his chance to test out her new attack when he challenged Brock.

"It can't be helped…"

Hue took in a deep breath, let out a sigh of relief, thankful for the pep talk, and grinned a goofy grin.

"You've got a crush on me!"

*slap* Aura slapped him across the face, making his almost as red as hers.

*whack* Karakara joined in by bonking Douglas with her club again.

"Agh! I'm sorry…" Hue chuckled.

"Squirtle…" Douglas pleaded.

"I suppose we can forgive you for being so rude after we gave you such an amazing pep talk." Aura said. "But only if you watch the rest of the tournament with us."

"Bone." Karakara said.

"Alright sure let's watch the...wait...you mean you're going to go out in public with her?" Hue asked pointing at Karakara. "I thought she was your secret pokemon…"

"Well, the secret was only supposed to be for you. You wouldn't agree to travel with me if I told you everything about me right off the bat now would you? Besides, She's normally always out of her pokeball. She'll love to get some sun after so long."

"Bone." Karakara bonked Hue's arm with her bone club.

"Isn't she adorable?" Aura chimed as Hue and Douglas looked for any broken bones of Hue's.

"Cuuu!" Karakara chimed similarly.

Geez, Aura's brother wasn't kidding.

Those two really were similar.

"It's the finals of the Pewter Tournament!" The ref said as Hue and Aura sat in the bleachers above the arena, holding both Douglas and Karakara respectively.

"Davon!" Hue cheered. "You got this! Send that blonde chick packing!"

"Someone sounds cheered up." Ethel's voice said.

"Ethel…" Hue gulped. He wondered what she thought of him after seeing that pitiful display…

"I lost so terribly…" Ethel said with a small smile. "Davon Le Rouge is a really good trainer with that Machop. I couldn't even get a single hit in on him in the semi-finals. I'm impressed with how well you and Ace were able to handle it…"

She patted Hue's shoulder and turned to walk away.

"By the way…" She said without looking back. "Be sure to talk to Davon after the tournament ends. He says he's got something he wants to give you. Ciao."

And with that, Ethel left Pewter City.

"Is that really true?" Hue wondered aloud.  
"You better believe it's true!" Davon called up to Hue. "Don't worry sir Hubert, I shall make sure to win this tournament in your stead."

"Hah!" The girl with the long blonde hair said across the battlefield. "You can't beat me or my pokemon."

"The final match between Davon Le Rouge, and Cherry Devonshire is about to begin!" The ref said.

"Davon is using Machop, while Cherry is using Meowth!"

"Meowth huh…" Hue took out his pokedex.

"[Meowth], The [Scratch Cat] Pokemon." Dean stated. "Meowth loves to roam at night to gather coins and other objects that sparkle, but it spends most of the daylight hours sleeping."

"Meowth is a normal type…" Aura said. "Davon and Machop have the type advantage."

"Meowth, use Fury Swipes!" Cherry called as the battle started.

"Meowth!" Meowth lunged at Machop.

"Focus Energy!" Davon called.

Hue watched as Machop endured the Fury Swipes while tensing its muscles.

"Now, Karate Chop!" Davon ordered.

*Critical Hit*

Cherry's Meowth fell without much of a fight.

"Meowth is unable to battle." The ref said. "The winner is Machop, which means the victor and winner of this month's Pewter Tournament is Davon Le Rouge!"

Hue and Aura and their pokemon cheered for their new friend's victory.

Hue supposed that losing to the winner was an okay thing.

"Davon!" Hue called as he and Aura found Davon at the Pokemon Center later that evening. "Way to go on winning the tournament!"

"You almost took me out in that first round…" Davon said with a confident smile as he brushed back his gelled hair. "That's why I've decided to be charitable and help the two of you out."

"I don't understand." Hue said.

Davon reached into his large backpack and pulled out an incubator. An egg was inside it.

"You want it right? I can't make heads or tails of what pokemon it is, and I only train pokemon that are blue in color."

"That's a unique rule, but who am I to judge? I use pokemon based on the info in the pokedex instead of levels and types, so to each their own. But...are you really sure? Davon...you won the tournament for this."

"No, my friend, I won the tournament…" Davon held up his SS Anne ticket. "For _this_."

He put his hand on Hue's shoulder and used the other one to gesture out at the horizon.

"Imagine, a luxurious yacht party with the most beautiful girls in the world, and then, Machop and I arrive on the scene…'oh Davon, you and Machop look so handsome and rugged.' or 'Oh you must be a _really_ strong trainer, huh?'"

"Really?" Hue asked, deciding he might as well humor Davon a bit. "I wonder if any of them would think that I'm strong…"

"Hrm…" Aura began to grumble.

"I'd vouch for you!" Davon said with a flick of his hair. "And then we could stage a battle atop the deck and call out to our desired women in the crowd, and say we are fighting for them!"

"Well, that sounds like a great plan and all, but Hue and I don't have tickets for that. It looks like we'll have to pass." Aura huffed.

"Wait...Davon…" Hue said as Davon got up to leave. "Are you seriously giving the egg to me?"

"Why not?" Davon asked. "I know you'll take good care of it! If it happens to be a blue pokemon, well, that's just my bad luck."

"Bone…?" Karakara inspected the egg through the glass.

It took Hue a total of two seconds to notice that Aura was inspecting the egg in much the same way.

"Oh by the way!" Davon called as he left the building. "I let Brock know that you were looking to challenge him! Go in there at around 10:00 AM tomorrow morning! May our paths cross again!" He said as his voice faded out.

"Well…" Hue said as he picked up the incubator with the egg in it. "I guess it all worked out in the end. Thanks again for the talk earlier. I don't know what I was-"

"Hue…" Aura said, shifting uncomfortably in her seat.

"Wh-what is it?" Hue asked.

What was she so nervous about?

"There's...something...I want to ask you…It's...important."

Was she...blushing?

"S-sure. Ask away…" Hue said, getting nervous himself.

"Would you please…" Aura got up and walked over to him. She held Karakara like a doll as she looked down at the floor, and then up at Hue,

with a giant mischievous grin.

"Would you please let me challenge Brock first? Your fit did cause me to drop out of the Tournament after all!"

"Oh for the love of all things good…" Hue put his hand on his heart sighing a sigh of relief.

"What were you so nervous about Huey?" Aura asked devilishly. "Don't tell me you have a crush on me!"

"Shut up, let it go, and you've got a deal." Hue said. "Now get some sleep."

"Sure thing Huey!" Aura chimed as she brought Karakara with her into their Pokemon Center room.

"What a day, huh Douglas?" Hue asked his Squirtle.

"Squirtle?" Douglas raised his head.

Oh yeah. He hadn't really done much at all that day...Just suffered abuse from Aura's shiny Cubone…

"What do you think is in this egg, Douglas?" Hue asked.

"Squirrrtle…" Douglas hummed, thinking.

"Let's hope it hatches soon. I don't want to catch another pokemon until it does."

"Squirtle."

As Hue began to walk towards the Pokemon Center room where Aura and all his belongings were, he could have sworn he saw someone creeping in the shadows.

Just a faint glimmer of crimson red…

But when he looked again, whatever he thought he saw was gone.


	7. The First Gym Match! Karakara VS Onix!

Chapter 7:

The First Gym Match! Karakara VS Onix!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Squirtle): Water Gun, Withdraw, Tackle, Bubble

Ace(Pidgey): Mud-Slap, Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind

Egg: Occasionally Moves, Could Hatch Soon

"Hue…." Aura said as she shook him awake. "Hue come on, it's already 9:00...I want you to watch my gym battle…"

Hue groaned as he stretched to wake himself up.

He hadn't gotten much sleep last night, mainly due to what he had seen…

Or rather…

What he had seen _again_.

That was the second time he caught a glimpse of the dark figure with a slight hint of crimson red…

"Aura…" He said, reasoning that he could find some comfort in her telling him it was just his imagination. "I thought I saw something pretty weird last night…"

"Hm?" Aura asked, confused, and a little impatient.

"Can it wait until we're en route to the gym or do you _have_ to tell me now?"

"Well, back in Pallet Town, after our first battle, I thought I saw someone in this black uniform, with a bit of crimson on it, like maybe some letters or something…"

Up until that moment, Hue had attributed the occurrence to his paranoia about traveling alone, but Aura's reaction…

It was not the reaction he had expected.

"What letters were they?" She asked as she got far closer to Hue than he was comfortable with.

Her piercing eyes were filled with a kind of mixture of determination and fear.

"I...I don't know." Hue said, backing up to a more comfortable distance.

"But I thought I saw them last night as well…"

Aura bit her nail as she looked away.

This conversation was having the exact opposite effect on Hue that he thought it would have.

"I had a feeling something like this would happen…" Aura muttered.

She turned to face Hue, and eyed him up and down as though she was studying a diagram of human anatomy for the first time.

"You….you're one of them, aren't you?" She asked.

Hue had no clue what she was talking about.  
"I have no clue what you're talking about…" Hue stated truthfully.

"No...You're definitely one of them…" Aura said, still biting her nail and looking away. "You're one of the _survivors_ of the incident that occurred eight years ago…"

Hue froze.

How did _she_ know Hue had been kidnapped eight years ago?

"But...If I'm the one that found you…" She rambled on, not stopping to explain anything to Hue, who was growing more confused by the second.

"And the way you battle….There's no mistaking it…"

"Care to explain what's going on?" Hue asked.

Aura, apparently only just now becoming aware that she was talking out loud, shifted gears faster than a Quick Attack.

"Oh, you don't need to worry about a thing, Huey!" She said, rather unconvincingly. "You just watch my gym battle and take notes so that when it's your turn, you're prepared!"

The Pewter Gym was made of solid stone blocks. It looked like something out of a prehistoric era film.

Even the inside of the gym was mostly rocks and dust, with only the most minimal work done for flooring in most of the building.

The Gym Room though….That was different. Only the battlefield seemed to have rocks on it. The rest of the room was tiles and bleachers, clearly meant for many spectators.

Perhaps public matches were common in Gyms?

Hue wouldn't know. He sat down on a bench close to the field, within earshot of Aura, and Douglas popped out of his pokeball to watch the battle that Aura was about to partake in.

The man on the opposite side of the field must have been Brock, the Gym Leader.

He was...older...than Hue was expecting.

"So." He said. "You've finally arrived. Took the two of you long enough. It was quite rude of you to have someone else make your appointment."

"That's his fault, not ours." Aura said as she readied the pokeball that Hue knew she would ready. "Now come on, battle me so I can get a badge already."

"Very well." Brock stated. "Can I confirm something first however? How many badges do either of you have?"

"None." Hue answered honestly.

"I too, have zero badges." Aura replied.

"In that case, have either of you ever challenged a Gym before? A battle with a gym leader is for qualification to enter the pokemon league in the form of a badge. It is not like a normal fight. There are special rules."

"Please explain them then." Aura requested, rather eager to get the battle under way.

"Gym leaders each specialize in a particular type of pokemon, and we gauge your strength by using pokemon in accordance to how many badges you've obtained. This will be a 2 on 2 single battle match. As Gym leader, I cannot make substitutions. Only you, the challenger, have that privilege. The match will be over when all of either side's pokemon are unable to continue. Are these conditions acceptable?"

"Yes, they are, now can we please start the battle?"

"The battle between Brock, the Gym Leader, and Aura, the challenger, will now begin!" A ref that looked like a much younger version of the elderly Brock exclaimed. "Each side will use two pokemon in each, in addition, only the challenger is allowed to make substitutions! The winner will receive the Boulder badge! One of the eight badges to qualify for the Pokemon League Tournament! Battle, Start!"

"Go, Geodude!" Brock yelled as he sent out a Geodude.

Hue was about to take its data on his pokedex, but, strangely enough, Aura beat him to the punch.

"[Geodude]" Aura's pokedex stated in a much more feminine voice than Hue's pokedex "The [Rock] Pokemon. Geodude has incredibly high defensive power, making it virtually resistant to any physical attacks."

Aura immediately put the pokeball she had kept at the ready back, and took out a different one.

"Go, Fushi!" She yelled as she sent out her Bulbasaur.

"Bulba!" Fushi called out a war cry.

"Fushi, use Leech Seed!" She called out right away.

"Saur!" Fushi called as he shot small seeds towards Brock's Geodude.

"Use Rollout to dodge!" Brock called, forcefully.

Geodude curled up into a ball and began to Roll through the seed barrage.

"A rolling stone gathers no moss." Brock said. "That expression is accurate, you know. Geodude, make contact now!"

Geodude slammed into Fushi, pushing him back again.

"You okay Fushi?" Aura asked.

"Bulbasaur!" Fushi nodded.

The Geodude did not stop spinning.

Hue thought back to his battle with Aura on his first day as a trainer. Now that he thought of it, Douglas had used the same spinning technique to deflect a Vine Whip from Fushi.

This time, things were different though…

Rollout was an actual move that would hit multiple times.

"Fushi, you good to go?" Aura asked again.

"Saur." Fushi said with a nod.

"Then use Growth, now!"

"Saur!" Fushi began to grow a bit bigger.

"Intriguing." Brock said as Geodude slammed into Fushi for the second time, causing a fair bit more damage than the first hit. "It seems you know Rollout's fundamental weakness."

Rollout's fundamental weakness…

Hue remembered that much from Trainer School.

Rollout was a move that got more powerful with each successive hit, but once a pokemon used Rollout, they were stuck using it until it either missed, or the pokemon using it was stopped somehow.

What was Aura up to?

"Growth once more, Fushi!" Aura called.

"Saurrrr!" Fushi began to grow even further.

It was now half of Aura's size.

Hopefully it would go back to normal after the battle.

"Hit it again, Geodude." Brock said.

Geodude rammed into Fushi one more time, and sent him skidding back to just about where Aura was standing.

That's when Hue noticed it…

Fushi was beginning to radiate a greenish glow.

That was familiar…

Yeah!

That was the same as the blue glow that Douglas had when his Torrent ability activated.

"[Overgrow]" Hue's pokedex stated as he pointed it at Fushi. "[Bulbasaur's] Special ability. When Bulbasaur reaches its limits, its grass type moves become far more powerful."

What was Aura thinking?

She hadn't lay a single hit on that Geodude the entire battle, and Fushi was nearing the end of what he could do…

"Geodude, let's finish this! Rollout, now!" Brock yelled as Geodude began to roll straight towards Fushi one last time.

"Alright Fushi, use a Vine Whip!" Aura called with a smirk on her face.

Why was she smiling?

The pokedex itself said that Geodudes were virtually-

Hue's thought process was interrupted by the Geodude getting smacked by a rather large Fushi's Vine Whip and flying straight into the back wall of the gym.

"Geodude is unable to battle, which makes Bulbasaur the winner!"

"How the hell did that happen?" Hue asked, as Aura returned Fushi.

"You noticed that I was using Growth didn't you?" Aura asked with a sly smile. "It doesn't just make Fushi bigger you know, it makes him more powerful too. Enough to do damage to an ordinary geodude for sure."

"You best hold off on your victory party." Brock declared. "This match is not yet over." He took out another pokeball. Onix, Go!"

The biggest snake Hue had ever seen left the pokeball, and it was made entirely of rocks.

He had never seen and Onix that up close before…

Again, Aura's pokedex beat his to the punch.

"[Onix], The [Rock Snake] Pokemon. By twisting its large and powerful body, Onix can bore through the ground at fifty miles per hour."

"50?" Hue asked, in disbelief. "That'd be like getting hit by a car!"

"Karakara can handle herself." Aura said in a calm response as she sent out the pokemon she had intended to use from the beginning.

"Bone…" Karakara said as she looked around the room, and then at the Onix. "Bone! Cuuu…"

She ran up to Aura and pointed at the Onix with her bone club. "Cuuu!"

"Yep! It's a monster." Aura said. "And you know what we do to monsters."

"Cubone!" Karakara pounded her belly and turned to bravely face the Onix.

"Cu...Booooone!" Karakara let out a battle cry.

"Intriguing." Brock said. "A shiny Cubone...that's not something you see every day. Unfortunately for you, Onix is more than a match for it!"

"Oh we'll see about that…" A glint appeared in Aura's eye.

Hue couldn't wait to see what she had planned this time…

"Very well, I'll let you take the first move."

"Why thank you." A gleam appeared in Aura's eye.

She had apparently already won.

"Perish Song."

Douglas was so surprised he let out a Water Gun.

Hue was in a similar position.

"How the _fuck_ does a Cubone know Perish Song?" He asked as Karakara performed the impossible and actually began to sing, using her thick bone club as a microphone of sorts.

"That has to do with the identity of Karakara's father." Aura said as the music enveloped the Onix and Karakara herself. "Karakara's father was a Lapras. As such, Perish song got passed on as an egg move. It felt like a waste to get rid of it, so my brother kept it, and I intend to keep it as well."

"That's all well and good.." Brock said. "But in the time Perish song takes to become effective, I can still defeat you. Onix, use Rage!"

Onix slammed its tail into Karakara, who was sent flying into a rock.

"Bone!" Karakara said, getting up. She wasn't going to go down that easy.

Hue could faintly see the music notes on both pokemon.

"Karakara, Bone Club!" Aura called as Karakara smacked the Onix in between its rocks.

If Hue had to guess, that was probably where Onix was weakest, considering there had to be _something_ holding those rocks together.

Onix wailed in agony, but started to glow a little red…

"Onix, Rage attack once more!" Brock called.

Karakara again took the full force of Onix's Rage attack, she stumbled to get up, but managed to.

"You okay Karakara?" Aura asked, seemingly not worried at all.

"Cubone!" Karakara nodded, also seemingly not worried at all.

Hue noticed the notes becoming more visible again.

"Alright Karakara, use Focus Energy!" Aura called.

"Bone…." Karakara put her club into the ground and it looked almost like she was meditating.

Hue let out a little laugh.

Aura had caught on to the trick behind Onix's rage attack, and acted in a way she could negate while also powering up Karakara.

"Onix, use Bind!" Brock yelled.

Onix slithered up to Karakara faster than she could react and wrapped around her, squeezing her tightly.

That might make it hard for Karakara to move…

Hue noticed that the music notes from perish song were now terribly visible.

"You can't save your precious Cubone now!" Brock said. "At the end of the next few seconds, she'll go down with me."

"No she won't." Aura said as she brushed her hair out of her eyes. "Because you just made a terrible mistake. You put Karakara _exactly_ where she wanted to be."

"What?"

Aura's signature sly smile appeared on her face.

"Karakara, Headbutt."

"Booooonnnneeee!" Karakara yelled as she slammed her skull covered head directly into one of Onix's joints, causing it to let go of her as the Onix fell to the ground.

"Onix is unable to battle." The ref said. "The winner is Cubone, which means the winner of this battle is Aura!"

Aura held up her new badge as she and Hue, with Douglas still atop his head, walked towards the Pewter Museum. Hue had wanted to challenge Brock, but since he also had no badges, Brock needed time to heal his pokemon as well as repair and shift some things around in the gym.

"It's so shiny…" Aura said as she put it just inside her hakama. "I hope your battle can be equally as exciting as mine was, Huey."

Karakara let herself out of her pokeball and made a gesture towards Aura, as though she wanted to be picked up.

Aura picked up Karakara, kissed her on the head, and carried her in her arms like a stuffed animal.

Seeing Karakara out like that reminded Hue of something he wanted to clarify with Aura.

"Hey, Aura…" Hue said as they both entered the Pewter Museum. "That Perish Song...that was only a decoy wasn't it? There was no way you'd risk keeping Karakara out that long when you were allowed to make substitutions."

"Oh, you figured it out!" Aura beamed cheerfully. "That's right Huey! Perish Song, at least in that battle, was being used as a decoy. In any event though, you should pay close attention to anything we find in the Museum. It's all about fossils on the first floor, and space exploration on the second. If you like learning as much as you say you do, then this is the ideal spot for you. Who knows, you might even think up a strategy for dealing with Brock!"

"Chances are…" Hue said. "That he won't use exactly the same pokemon that I saw him use against you…" he reasoned. "So It might be in my best interest to gather as much information about his various gym battles that I can from any trainers that might be inside the museum."

"That's probably right." Aura nodded. "But there aren't too many rock type pokemon here in the Kanto region so it shouldn't pose too much of an issue for you."

Hue looked down at his incubated pokemon egg that he had gotten as a gift from Davon Le Rouge.

He wondered if this pokemon was a rock type.

Not that he could tell, of course.

"Two tickets please." Hue said as he slid 100 pokeyen to the clerk at the counter, who seemed to be asleep.

They didn't take the money, or get up to give Hue and Aura their tickets.

"Ahem." Hue rang the bell. "Two tickets please." He said in a louder voice.

"Squirtle?" Douglas asked from atop Hue's head.

"Bone…" Karakara said from Aura's arms.

She bonked the clerk on the head.

He didn't get up.

"Uh-oh." Hue said.

He had a strange feeling in his gut.

He and Aura exchanged glances.

She nodded at him.

Hue checked the clerk for a pulse…

And pressed his finger against the coldest skin he'd ever felt.

This clerk had no pulse, and wasn't breathing.

"Call the police." Hue told Aura, but before she could do anything...

The police showed up on their own.

"He wasn't moving at all!" A man who also seemed to work at the Museum was telling them as they burst through the door to see Hue and Aura standing there, with Hue's finger still on the body.

"Ah!" The man freaked out. "One of them must be the culprit. I know the culprit was a trainer, and they both have pokemon!"

"You." The head police officer pointed at Aura and Hue. She had strange blue hair. "I'm Officer Jenny of Pewter City and you two are both under arrest!"

Aura and Hue exchanged nervous glances once again.

What the hell had they just walked in on?


	8. Murder Mystery At The Museum

Chapter 8:

Murder Mystery At The Museum!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Squirtle): Water Gun, Withdraw, Tackle, Bubble

Ace(Pidgey): Mud-Slap, Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind

Egg: Occasionally Moves, Could Hatch Soon

"Whoa, whoa whoa." Hue said, as he quickly held his hands up. "We aren't responsible for this. We both just got here and wanted to see the museum!"

"Is that true?" Officer Jenny asked as she eyed both Hue and Aura suspiciously. "This man here did say that the culprit was a trainer."

Hue let out a sigh.

"Please, look at the museum's register or security cam or something. Besides, since we got up this morning, we've both been in the Pewter Gym…"

"A l-l-likely story…" The museum worker said, stuttering. "Brock had made r-r-reservations with a trainer the day p-prior so there shouldn't have b-b-b-been anyone there but-"

"Those reservations were for us." Aura said as she held up her Boulder badge.

Officer Jenny took a look at it.

"The date inscribed here _is_ today's date." Officer Jenny said, handing it back to Aura.

"Which means your alibis check out. But as witnesses, I'm afraid we can't let you leave until this case is closed."

"I can help." Hue said, almost as surprised by what he just said as Officer Jenny was.

"Help? Look boy, I don't think-" Her eyes turned towards Karakara.

"That Cubone…." She turned back to Hue and Aura. "What did you say your names were?"

"I'm Hubert Swanson." Hue said, looking at Aura, who gave him a nod.

"And this is Aura Jones."

Officer Jenny took out a rather important looking clipboard full of names, and checked a single box.

"Hubert-"

"I prefer Hue, if you don't mind." Hue said, just getting it out there.

"Hue, I'd like to ask you a few questions about what happened to you eight years ago, is that alright?"

"I don't remember much." Hue admitted. "I know that I was given a few shots by the people that took me away, and I know that a bunch of trainers helped me and my friend Donovan escape, but I also know that a lot of kids lost their lives and that Donovan and I are among the lucky ones."

"Shots…" Officer Jenny mumbled as she wrote stuff down on her clipboard.

"Hue, you may not realize this, but the fact that you were given shots is a critical shift from the normal answers that survivors of that incident have told us…"

"It is?"

"I knew it…" Aura said. "You were a survivor too...I had I feeling…"

"The hell is going on?"

"You didn't tell him yet?" Officer Jenny asked Aura. She turned to face Hue. "Her older brother is one of the trainers responsible for saving your life back then."

" _Was_ one of the trainers responsible." Aura corrected Officer Jenny as she tightened her grip on Karakara.

"Bone…." Karakara said, gloomily.

Hue felt bad for Aura. It appeared as though she had planned to tell him eventually, but there was clearly still more to her story than even the police knew about, judging by how despairingly guilt-ridden she looked.

"Hue…" Officer Jenny said, changing the subject kind of. "I think we might benefit extraordinarily from your help in the investigation…"

"Really?" Hue couldn't believe what he was hearing. He had only half consciously even offered. He didn't even know why he wanted to help so much.

"Start by looking over the body." Officer Jenny said. "You can look throughout the museum and help us track down whoever murdered this man. If you can do that...I'll see to it that you're given a reward for your cooperation."

Officer Jenny motioned to a few other police officers to take Aura off the site.

Hue looked at Aura, who still seemed to be feeling guilty for not telling Hue the whole truth about her brother.

Dammit. He couldn't just let them take her like that…

"Aura's actually my partner." Hue clarified. "If I'm allowed to investigate, then so is she."

Officer Jenny tried to shoot Hue a menacing glance, but Hue had spent the past week with the queen of menacing glances. Anything Jenny tried to pull, he could handle.

"Leave her with me." Hue said again.

"Be careful to not contaminate the crime scene." Officer Jenny said as her subordinates let Aura go. "Remember, start by checking the body first. The cause of death is always an important lead."

Hue took out his pokedex, and fiddled around with it. It began to play the Phoenix Wright Investigation theme.

"Aura…" He said, with a grin. "Look's like we've got a case. Now come along, partner"

A half smile appeared on Aura's face.

Looking over the body, Hue could feel his eyes and brain working much faster than he would have anticipated. It was like his body knew what he was doing before he even did.

The dead clerk was a male in their late 20s.

They had a visible external wound on their arm, definitely left by a bite of some sort.

Was that the cause of death?

Hue didn't think so, but he remembered to keep the wound in the back of his mind just in case.

Hue checked the victim's head for any signs of blunt trauma.

There were none.

"The victim was already slouched over like this at the time of death." Aura said as she observed the body. "You can tell by the chair he's sitting in that if he had died upright, he would have slouched backwards into his reclining seat, rather than forwards onto the counter."

"The counter…" Hue's attention shifted in that direction.

There was a small puddle of liquid on the counter…

That was odd. There was no cup or glass or mug anywhere that the liquid might have come from, and it had been a sunny day all day,so it couldn't have been rain…

What could that liquid be?

Hue made a note of that.

"Alright." Officer Jenny said. "Done outlining the body, you can move it around to check the face if you want."

That's exactly what Hue wanted to do.

As Hue moved towards the body, he noticed the security camera above the front door. It seemed perfectly fine. He thought he'd make a note of that. It probably didn't show anything useful, but the fact that it wasn't tampered with was something to keep in mind.

Hue then turned his attention back to the victim.

"Hue, look." Aura pointed to the corner of the victim's mouth.

"Blood." Hue confirmed.

He didn't know how he knew, but this person's blood-type was A-negative.

Back to the counter, where the face was.

Yep.

Not far from the liquid that had yet to be identified, there were definite traces of the same blood-type.

"The victim coughed up blood…" Hue said. He put his hand on the blood.

"It's still somewhat wet." Judging by the state of the body, Hue could conclude that this man died recently.

"At what time did you discover this man was dead?" Hue asked the museum worker.

"I was supposed to start my shift at the counter." The clerk said, seeming to have regained his composure. "The staff shifts rotate every hour you see."

"Every hour…" Hue looked at the clock. "It's 12:30 right now. So, did you discover this man was dead at around 12:00?"

"I was actually...a little late." The worker admitted. "I didn't clock into work until 12:15. You can check my card on the wall over there."

Hue checked the wall.

Sure enough, this man's card read 12:15.

"The staff changes every hour, but you were late." Hue said. "This man died recently. The current most probable situation is that in between the time you were supposed to be here, and the time you got here, the victim was murdered."

"Murdered…" The worker repeated bitterly…"And by a trainer no less…"

"That's something I also wanted to ask you about." Hue said. "How are you so sure that this man's culprit is a pokemon trainer?"

The worker pointed to a wall. It was of some strange museum tradition. It looked almost like the Olympics, but everyone participating were museum workers.

"The victim's name is Jeremy Fells." The worker said. "Check his records on those scoreboards and you'll see why it had to a pokemon trainer that did him in."

Hue could barely believe what he was looking at.

The times shown on these records…

They were on par with that of a true Olympic Athlete!

The hell was this guy working in a museum for?

"Only a pokemon could have inflicted a bite wound serious enough to kill him." The worker said.

Hue thought he'd take note of that piece of testimony.

Apparently the worker thought the Bite wound was the reason for this man's death.

He was not aware of the fact that this man had coughed up blood...right?

He should also ask Aura about the approximate age of the Bite wound on Jeremy's arm.

"Thanks to some equipment that the officers brought, we were able to run a few tests on the wound and the blood to determine their exact age." Aura said.

"The wound was inflicted this morning, at around 10:00 am."

"10:00 am?" Hue asked. "And you're positive?"

"Without a single margin of error." Aura said. "10:15 am is when this man suffered his wound."

Interesting...the bite wound was obtained at 10:15 am…"

Pieces were starting to fit together, but there was definitely more that needed to be uncovered.

"Can I have a list of everyone who visited the museum between 10:00 and now?" Hue asked a nearby officer who nodded and went to go get a list of check-ins and check-outs.

Hue turned back to Aura, who was being an extraordinary help in examining the body. She seemed to have almost as much of a knack for that as Hue seemed to have for gathering and observing important information.

There was something fishy about the time this man suffered his bite wound...and to be honest, there was something fishy about his bite wound in general…

"Was the wound infected?" Hue asked.

"It seemed like it was inflicted by a creature with fangs, but no. There was no venom in the wound." Aura replied.

"Bone." Karakara said, as though giving the same report.

Hue felt the need to gather up the information he had collected so far.

The victim suffered a bite wound from a fanged creature at 10:00 am this morning.

The bite wound was not venomous, therefore it could not be responsible for the victim coughing up blood.

The victim was Jeremy Fells, with the strength and speed of an Olympic Athlete, so force would be a very hard way to take him out.

The workers of the museum submitted to an hour long shift for working the counter each day. The museum worker's shift at the counter was slated to begin at 12:00, but they were late and couldn't check in until 12:15.

The security camera in front of the door was untampered with, and would likely show at what time everyone arrived.

The victim coughed up blood prior to being found dead. The evidence of this was the blood on the counter and in his mouth. His coughing up of blood had to be the true cause of death.

There was an unidentified liquid on the counter next to the victim when Hue and Aura discovered the body. But perhaps…

"Here you are." The policeman handed Hue a list of everyone who entered the museum inbetween 10:00 and 12:30. Hue noticed that the writing on the list was different for each hour interval. The names in between 10:00 and 11:00 were different in style than the names between 11:00 and 12:00. And there were no names once 12:00 rolled around, due to the fact that the museum worker was late to work.

Hue noticed a small note towards the side of the list.

"Coffee break, 15 minutes in. Head to machine in Space Exploration Exhibit." He read.

Could this be?

He analyzed the handwriting.

Just as he thought…

There _was_ something fishy going on here.

He returned to the employee check in area, and searched for Jeremy Fells's card. It would still be punched in after all.

"I thought so…" Hue said.

"Hue? What did you find?" Aura asked.

"Jeremy Fells's shift." Hue replied. "And, with that, I've got another area I'd like to look."

He handed Aura the list of visitors. "Check records on everyone who supposedly visited in between 11:00 and 12:00. If they exist, get their testimony about what they saw. We're close to cracking this case open."

"What do you mean?" Aura asked.

"There's three." Hue said with a smile and a wink. "There's a third one."

Hue entered the Space Exlporation exhibit expecting to find clues, but he didn't expect he'd find a complete mess.

"A huge fight took place here." He told himself as he noticed signs of a struggle everywhere.

Perhaps this happened when Jeremy Fells took his coffee break 15 minutes into his shift…

Hue had pretty muched pieced this case together, but he needed a few more pieces of information before he could make a formal accusation.

Well, just standing around up here wasn't going to accomplish anything. He might as well look at the scene.

Just as he thought, there was a coffee machine up here. This was where the employees went to get coffee, apparently 15 minutes into their shift.

Hue noticed that the security camera had been damaged.

"Let's see…" he said. "Ace!" He sent out his Pidgey.

"Pidgey?" She asked, confused.

"Ace, I need you to see if you can't determine how that security camera was damaged."

"Pid-gey!" She nodded as she flew around the camera for a while.

Hue looked at all the ruined exhibitions pertaining to space exploration.

He then noticed that something was missing from one of the broken glass cases.

"Moon Stone." Hue read off of the plaque below the empty glass case. "A mysterious stone found in Mt. Moon, believed to be from space, and capable of forcing certain pokemon to evolve."

Hue looked around to see if he couldn't find the Moon Stone, although he wasn't sure exactly what he was looking for.

What he did find was a strange piece of cloth, almost as though it had been ripped off by force.

Half of the small scrap was pitch black, and the other half was crimson red.

Crimson...

Red…

Could it have been?

Hue took the piece of cloth and kept it. This would prove to be useful not just in this case, but most likely it would be useful later as well.

Ace returned from the security camera and opened her beak and pointed to it.

"Pidgey!" She said, emphasizing her open mouth.

"I get it, Ace, you're saying it was bitten, right?"

"Pidgey!" Ace clapped her wings to show that Hue had the correct answer.

Hue could feel everything piece together.

He needed to talk to the museum worker one more time though. And he also needed to see what Aura found by checking up on those trainers.

"I want you to tell me." Hue told the museum worker. "I want to know the name of the museum worker with…"

"Hey Hue!" Aura said, catching up with Hue as she handed him back the list of names.

"This handwriting." Hue said, pointing to the 11;00 to 12:00 names of trainers written on the list.

"Oh, that's Bryce Hunt's handwriting. He's almost always asking for Jeremy to cover for him though, so I didn't think much of Jeremy being in the counter when I arrived."

"Hue." Aura tugged on Hue's jacket sleeve.

"Bone." Karakara bonked Hue's arm.

"Gah!" Hue said. He turned to face them. "What is it?"

"Apparently, the trainers that visited in the time interval between 11:00 and 12:00 were told that the Space Exploration center was closed, and one of the trainers said he was greeted by two clerks at the counter!"

"Who was it?" The museum worker asked. "That trainer...It has to be _him_ that did it!"

Hue knew it wasn't, but was curious.

"This person's testimony is crucial." Hue nodded. "Who is he?"

"The first name, mentioned at around 11:13 right here." Aura pointed.

"Morren...Rex…" Hue said.

"Pidgey…" Ace cooed.

"Squirtle…" Douglas said as he returned back into Hue's pokeball.

"Do we know where he is now?" Hue asked.

"He should be here any second." Aura winked. "I had a feeling you'd want to talk to him, so I sent some police officers to escort him back here."

"Impressive as always, Aura." Hue smiled.

It was not long until a rather nerdy looking boy was escorted into the building.  
"I...I didn't do it!" He called out. He had brown hair that looked like it was cut specifically to let people know he was easy target to be picked on.

His giant round glasses only added insult to injury.

"Morren Rex?" Hue asked.

"Yeah." Morren said. "But I didn't do this!"

"I know that." Hue said. "But you've actually got ahold of some information I really want to know. You came in at 11:13 am today, and left at 11:33. You spent 20 minutes in this museum, and only on this floor."

"Well yeah." Morren said. "The Space Exhibit was closed today."

"No it wasn't." Hue said. "It was just being blocked from the public, because a fight took place up there earlier. Morren, I need you to be calm, and remember something for me. I want to know about the two clerks at the counter, and about what was on the counter, both when you came in, and when you left."

"I...I remember that they were both at the counter when I came in…" He said. "There was one who looked kind of sick, and another one who offered to go get his coffee for him.

When I left...the one that looked sick was sleeping at the counter, near a spilled cup of coffee, and the other one was rubbing his back, trying to make him feel better."

"Alright." Hue said. "Thanks Morren, you can leave."

"Whoa, wait a minute!" The museum worker said. "He's the murderer! He has to be!"

"Does he really?" Hue asked. "Last time I checked, there was more than one trainer in the world. In any case, if the Space Center was 'closed' when Morren got here, then he is without a doubt, innocent."

Hue turned back to Morren. "Sorry to waste your time."

The clock struck one.

"Aura." Hue said. "This case has been solved, where's Officer Jenny?"

"She should be talking to her colleagues over by Jeremy's body."

"Take me to her. I can explain exactly what happened."

First, he wanted to clarify something though.

He turned back to the museum worker. "How long has Bryce Hunt worked here?"

"He's the newest of us." The museum worker said. "That's why he's able to get away with so much covering, he's still adjusting to life here."

"Alright." Hue said. "One last question. Pokemon: are employees allowed to bring them to work?"

"No, that's strictly forbidden for anyone who isn't security, and even then, they're only allowed to bring district assigned police pokemon to work."

Hue nodded. "Thank you for your time."

"Pidgey." Ace cooed, also nodding.

"Hey wait, You brought me out here and now you're done with me?" Morren asked, almost offended that Hue didn't even suspect him a little.

"Yep!" Aura called back for Hue. "Bye!"

"Officer Jenny." Hue said as he and Aura reunited with Officer Jenny. "Bryce Hunt. Arrest him. He's the murderer."

Office Jenny seemed skeptical of this. "You've been investigating for a total of half an hour." She said. "There is no way that you were able to solve a case that quickly."

She then looked at Hue's eyes, through his glasses.

"Oh my…" She said. "Your...eyes…"

She took out her clipboard that she had put a check next to Hue's name on earlier. She put another check next to his name and wrote: eyes.

"What's wrong with my eyes?" Hue asked, a little alarmed.

"It's not what's wrong with your eyes, Hue." Officer Jenny said. "Your eyes actually seem to be moving so fast that it looks like you have multiple irises in each eye…This is probably a result of-"

"So Hue!" Aura interrupted, for whatever reason feeling as though Hue shouldn't hear the reason behind his strange eye pattern yet.

"Why don't you explain why Bryce Hunt is the guilty party?"

"Gladly." Hue said, trusting that Aura knew what was best.

"Here's how it happened:"

Hue fiddled with his pokedex again to get the Phoenix Wright Unlimited Corners theme to begin playing.

Hue took a deep breath, and explained everything from the beginning.

"First, let's start by clearing this out of the way: Jeremy Fells clocked into work at 10:00 am this morning, as his shift begins at that time."

"But, he suffered his bite wound at 10:15…" Aura said. "And since pokemon _aren't allowed for workers_ besides security, he couldn't have been in here at that time…"

"Objection!" Hue called out.

Aura rolled her eyes. "You're weird Huey…" She said.

"Well Aura…" Hue gave a grin. "If you had looked at the Space Exploration scene, you'd know that whether the rules prohibit it or not, a pokemon _was_ brought to work that day. Evidence of that is the broken camera upstairs near the coffee machine."

"Well…" Officer Jenny said. "None of that can _prove that Mr. Fells was up there_."

"Take that!" Hue said as he shoved the list of trainer check-ins to the museum in her face. "In Jeremy's handwriting, we have a note reminding him that 15 minutes into his shift, he has a coffee break, and is allowed to get coffee from the machine upstairs in the Space Exploration exhibit! It was there that he saw the culprit trying to steal a most valuable object.

"Bryce was trying to steal something?" The museum worker asked. "What?"

"The Moon Stone." Hue said. "And he wasn't just _trying_ to steal it. He _managed_ to steal it. Of course, there was no way that Jeremy Fells was going to let that happen, so he and Bryce got into a fight up there, and it was quite the struggle too, destroying nearly all the exhibits in the process.

"The _security camera_ would have caught footage of that.." Officer Jenny said shaking her head.

"Objection!" Hue yelled again. "The security camera was damaged! I couldn't check it myself, but Ace here managed to fly up there, and we determined that it was damaged by being bitten! Does that ring a bell for anyone?"

"I'm...confused…" The museum worker said. "What makes that significant."

Hue tapped his glasses confidently. "If we take into consideration the _time_ at which Mr. Fells received his bite mark wound, it shouldn't be too hard. After all, he received it at 10:15 am, the _exact_ time he'd be up in the Space Exploration exhibit, brewing a cup of coffee! Only he wasn't brewing coffee, he was fighting a thief!"

"A thief...I still find this hard to believe. Are you sure there isn't _anything they might have left behind_?" Officer Jenny asked.

Hue took out the piece of cloth that was pitch black and crimson. "Take that!" He threw the cloth in her face this time.

Aura was grinning to herself. "Keep it up, Huey." She encouraged.

"That cloth look familiar to you Jenny?" Hue asked.

"This...this cloth belongs to...NTR…" Jenny said.

Aura's and Hue's moods both changed from confidence to surprise.

"What is NTR?" Hue asked.

"NTR stands for Neo Team Rocket." Officer Jenny clarified. "Someone who was a fan of the criminal organization that once plagued Kanto a long time ago revived it with the incident that kidnapped you and Aura's brother eight years ago. If you found this up in the Space Exploration floor, then in all likelihood, the culprit was a Neo Team Rocket thief."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Hue said. "That security camera was damaged by a flying pokemon, capable of biting things to cause massive damage."

"You think, what, a Zubat did it?" Aura asked.

Hue nodded. "A Golbat would work just as well. And that's the same pokemon that inflicted the bite wound on Jeremy's arm!"

"S-so...the NTR member killed him!" The museum worker said. " _He killed him with a Poison Fang or something!_ "

"Objection!" Hue yelled.

Aura's smile grew again. Hue was glad that she was having fun.

"In any case." He said. "Poison Fang was not what killed Mr. Fells, although it most likely did make him a little sickly. I know someone who accidentally inhaled a Poisonpowder once, and so I can say from secondhand experience that Poison attacks make you feel like lying down and just sleeping., which is most likely why, when Bryce Hunt showed up, at his scheduled time, Mr. Fells didn't leave yet. He was undoubtedly dozing off!"

"This doesn't add up…" Aura bit her nail, but with a big grin. She was clearly on the same page as Hue was. "I mean, wouldn't Bryce see Mr. Fells sleeping and wake him up? He could have just taken him home."

"But he didn't!" Hue said. "He kept Mr. Fells at the counter, and even checked Morren in."

"That raises a red flag." Officer Jenny said. "Why did Bryce know that the Space Exploration exhibit was closed?"

"He must have been the thief…" A police officer said. "He entered and _used his pokemon_ to steal the Moonstone earlier before his shift started."

"Objection!" Hue yelled. "It is an undisputed fact that workers are not allowed to bring pokemon to work. If Bryce had entered or exited the building with pokemon, the camera at the front entrance would have caught him. Remember, it was absolutely fine!"

"I thought the thief was the murderer…" Aura said.

Hue shook his head. "Close, but no. The thief was most definitely a trainer that had entered the museum prior, but that's not what we're investigating. The murderer was definitely Bryce Hunt."

"Alright…" Officer Jenny crossed her arms. "Then _how did Bryce murder Mr. Fells_?"

"Take that!" Hue through an empty styrofoam cup at Officer Jenny.

"Quit throwing shit at me!" She yelled.

Aura laughed. It even looked like Karakara was having a good time.

"That's for the coffee that someone can get from the machine upstairs. Bryce went up there at around 11:15, poisoned the coffee, and brought it down to a sick and somewhat delirious Jeremy to drink, because he was the only one who was witness to the NTR thief's identity."

"This doesn't make any sense…" The museum worker clutched his head. "Why would Bryce care about that if he wasn't the thief? And how did the thief even get in there without raising some red flags?"

"It's actually a simple answer." Hue said, tapping his glasses again. "Bryce Hunt, is a Neo Team Rocket _spy_."

"S-spy?" The museum worker asked, confused.

"Where do you think he's going when he asks Jeremy Hunt to cover for him?" Hue asked. "In all likelihood, he was giving information to NTR.

"Then, when the Space Exploration exhibit opened with a Moon Stone, which can make certain pokemon evolve, a plot to steal it was put into action, but Jeremy fought the thief and ended up injured because of it.

"If he tracked down the thief, NTR would sell their spy out in a heartbeat. That's why, when Bryce Hunt entered work, and noticed that Jeremy was injured and groggy, took it upon himself to end the life of his biggest threat.

"Unfortunately, that became his biggest mistake, because as Mr. Fells coughed up blood from the poisoned coffee, he knocked it over, spilling it on the counter! Morren's testimony can prove this, and Bryce Hunt had to make up a lie that Mr. Fells was sleeping and he began to clean up the coffee.

"Then the clock rang twelve, and Bryce Hunt left the museum, knowing that the next worker would soon enter. His actions scream suspicious! Bryce Hunt poisoned Jeremy Fells! There is no other explanation! He poisoned the one person who could identify the thief that stole the Museum's Moon Stone, and he did so because identifying the thief would reveal that he was a spy for NTR!"

Hue turned to Officer Jenny. "Send a squad of police to Bryce Hunt's house immediately! There I'm sure you'll find evidence that supports my claim!"

"There's no need to debate any further."A police officer said as he took a look at Bryce Hunt's employee check in card. "Mr. Hunt never punched out. You'd need to be in an incredibly hurry to forget about that. I think young mister Swanson might be right."

"And that Aura…" Hue said as he took a bow. "..Is case closed."

Later that day, in the pokemon center...

"You were right." Officer Jenny told Hue and Aura. "We searched though Bryce Hunt's home and sure enough, he was keeping tabs on the museum for NTR...Sorry to make you both put up with such a mess."

"Oh, It's okay." Hue said. "I did offer to help after all."

"Now, for your reward…" Officer Jenny took out a pokeball. It was marked with a police hat sticker.

"Here you go Hue." She said. " Congratulations! You're officially a Detective Trainer! Inside that ball is the pokemon that we policemen use. You're free to name him whatever you wish, and use him in your battles as a pokemon trainer!"

Hue sent out the pokemon.

"Growlithe!" The Growlithe barked.

"Yes!" Hue jumped up into the air. "Ever since I saw Donovan's, I really wanted one of these!"

Now what to name him?...

Oh, Hue knew…

"Welcome to the team...Gumshoe!" Hue said as he held out his hand.

"Growwwwlll!" Gumshoe shook.

"I should mention…" Officer Jenny told Hue. "That Gumshoe's special ability is known as Justified. If he gets hit by Dark type attacks, his own attack power will increase. It's a rare ability to get on Growlithes so I do hope you like it. Of course, with this, you agree to solve any cases that the police force might need you to solve, is that okay?"

"I don't see the downside." Hue shrugged. "Sure. Feel free to call if you need me, and you can tell that to the other police units in other cities as well."

"Will do." Officer Jenny said. "Goodbye Hue, Goodbye Aura. Sorry your museum date got ruined."

"That wasn't a date!" Aura called as Officer Jenny left. "But…"

She turned to Hue.

"That was, by far, the most fun I've ever had in a long time." Aura said with a cheerful and thankful smile.

"Bone!" Karakara beamed, equally as happy.

"I'm...sorry I didn't tell you before." She said. "About my brother...and about how…"

"Don't beat yourself up over that!" Hue said as he picked up Gumshoe, his new Growlithe.

Gumshoe let out a bark and began to wag his tail.

"In fact." Hue said. "A great way to atone, if you really want to, would be to cheer me on against Brock later today!"

"About that…" Brock's voice said as he entered the pokemon center aided by a cane. "I was wondering if you'd agree to a different type of gym match with me, young detective."

"S-sure, what's the deal?"

"It will only be a one on one match...But you must use your Growlithe. You might find that it has quite the array of moves at its disposal. I, of course, will be using my Onix. I've also taken the liberty of inviting a few people who say they know you to watch this match, if that's okay."

"You knew I was going to say yes?" Hue asked, confused.

He could feel his eyes had settled down from the investigation he had just done.

"Of course I knew you would say yes!" Brock said as he motioned for both Hue and Aura to follow.

"Now come along. I'm a very busy Gym Leader and I haven't got all day."

Hue and Aura looked at each other, gave nodding smiles, and followed Brock towards his gym.


	9. Hue VS Brock!

Chapter 9:

Hue VS Brock!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Squirtle): Water Gun, Withdraw, Tackle, Bubble

Ace(Pidgey): Mud-Slap, Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Flame Wheel.

Egg: Occasionally Moves, Could Hatch Soon

As Hue entered the Gym, he was greeted by two very familiar faces.

"Huey!" Diane yelled as she gave him a tackle hug. "You disappeared after your loss at the tournament! I looked all over the city for you!"

"Heheh…" Hue laughed nervously. "Sorry about that. I hit a bit of a wall when it came to my confidence after that loss."

"Hue!" Donovan ran up to Hue and replaced Diane's position in his own tackle hug.

"Dude, I saw you enter the Museum earlier and then so many police followed!"

"It's okay man!" Hue said, embracing Donovan's hug more than his own sister's. "I'm here now!"

"Look at you Huey." Aura said in a sarcastic tone. "Am I going to hear a happy announcement soon?"

"Oh, don't you worry about that." Diane told her. "Huey and Donovan are both survivors of the kidnappings that took place eight years ago, so they've always been that close."

"Oh, I see…" Aura said as she bit her nail and looked away.

"...Good."

Diane began to laugh.

"Something funny?" Hue asked as he and Donovan stopped hugging.

"Nothing really." Diane said as the four of them entered the Gym. "Just that your still so oblivious to everything."

"An oblivious detective…" Hue said to himself as he looked at Gumshoe's pokeball. "I've become an oxymoron."

"Umm...Excuse me?" One more voice asked. Hue turned around and noticed that Officer Jenny had entered the building.  
"Oh good!" She said. "I haven't missed your match."

"I...didn't expect you to see it in the first place…" Hue said, wondering why she was interested in it.

"It's for...research purposes." Officer Jenny said as she held up her clipboard. She turned to Donovan.

"Oh, you two know each other as well?" She asked. "Donovan, you said that you weren't given any shots. Did you know that Hue got multiple injections during your time as prisoners?"

"I did _not_ know that." Donovan said, surprised. "We never talked about what happened with each other. Hue hates talking about it."

"Because it was traumatizing!" Hue said. "I don't think I'll ever get over the fear of needles I developed because of that…"

"In any case. We're trying to determine what might have happened to him as a result of those injections." Officer Jenny said. "I've already seen him when he's analyzing things, and I thought I'd pay attention to his battle style."

"Makes sense." Diane said, clearly lost behind her comprehension.

"Come on, Huey!" Aura tugged on his sleeve to get him out of there. "Standing around here is boring! I want to watch your match with Brock!"

Hue couldn't agree more.

"Are you ready?" Brock asked from across the battlefield full of rocks. "This will be a one on one match between my Onix and your Growlithe. The stakes are one Boulder Badge. The match will be over when one side's pokemon is no longer able to continue fighting. Do you accept these conditions?"

"You bet I do." Hue said with a grin. He had checked facts about Growlithe as well as Gumshoe's move set on his pokedex prior to entering the gym, and already had a strategy developed.

That was the way Hue liked to battle.

Without relying on type match ups, and rather utilizing the undisputable facts in the pokedex.

After the ref of the match said basically the exact same thing that Brock himself had just said,

Hue sent out Gumshoe.

"Go!" He yelled. "Gumshoe!"

"Onix!" Brock called as he sent out Onix.

Hue tried to remember the attacks Onix had used against Karakara in Aura's battle. It knew…  
Rage….

and Bind…

but that was all Hue had seen it use.

"Onix!" Brock called. "Begin with a Rock Tomb!"

Oh shit…

"Gumshoe! Use Flame Wheel to maneuver through the falling rocks!" Hue called.

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe said as he cloaked himself in a wheel of fire and began moving through the rocks at a high speed.

"Hey! Way to go, Hue!" Donovan called from the bleachers.

"Now Gumshoe, Odor Sleuth!"

Gumshoe's flames dissolved as he stopped in front of Brock's Onix.

Hue had won with that move, but he wouldn't let Brock know that.

"Onix, Bind it!" Brock called as Onix wrapped Gumshoe in its body.

"Growl!" Gumshoe stated in pain.

"It's fine Gumshoe!" Hue said. "If Onix wants to grab you, it should remember to wear and oven mit! Use Flame Wheel!"

"Growl!" Gumshoe cloaked himself in fire again.

"Keep a grip on it Onix!" Brock yelled, but it was clear that the fire Gumshoe was producing was too much for Onix to keep a grip on.

"Onnnniiiiix." It wailed as it let Gumshoe go.

"Onix, use Dig!" Brock called out as Onix dove down into the rock field, leaving a single hole.

"Uh-oh…" Diane said. "Dig is what did in Charolette during my first battle against Brock…"

"Don't sell Huey short." Aura said. "I made him do his research beforehand. His success is a given."

"You sure sound confident about that." Donovan said.

Officer Jenny was scribbling on Hue's clipboard.

"Gumshoe. You know what to do." Hue said.

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe called.

"Onix, now!" Brock yelled as Onix charged up through the ground at the standard fifty miles per hour that Onix was capable of burrowing at.

Gumshoe dodged out of the way with no problem.

"Impossible!" Brock said.

"That's actually completely possible." Hue said. He held up his pokedex. "Tell them Dean."

"Growlithe has a superb sense of smell." Dean's mechanical voice stated. "Once it smells anything, this pokemon won't forget the scent, no matter what. It uses its advanced olfactory sense to-"

"Ahh, we'll stop there." Hue said, shutting his pokedex and putting it away. "There you have it Brock. We got close to Onix not because we were reckless…"

"So that's why he used that move…" Donovan said, taking notes. "I should remember this when I battle with Arfy."

"I see." Brock said. "But knowing where Onix is at all times is not a terrible hindrance for me. Onix, use dig at full power!"

"Gumshoe! Dig play number 2!"

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe yelled.

Onix burrowed back down into the ground.

Soon, the ground started to rumble.

"Onix!" Brock called. "Attack it n-"  
"Alright Gumshoe, hit it full on with a Dig attack of your own!"

"Growwwwllll!" Gumshoe yelled as he burrowed through the ground and sent Onix flying out of the hole it had created.

"So, he discovered that our standard issue Growlithes know Dig…" Officer Jenny said as she jotted down more notes in her book.

"Now Gumshoe, Flame Wheel! Aim for its head!"

"Growl!" Gumshoe again cloaked himself in a wheel of flames and charged towards Onix.

"Onix, meet it head on with a Rage attack!" Brock yelled.

The two pokemon collided and Gumshoe staggered back a bit.

"Are you still good to go Gumshoe?"

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe said.

"Onix!" Brock called. "Bind it once more!"

Onix quickly scooped up Gumshoe.

"Gumshoe, use Flame Whe-"

"Now Rock Tomb, while it can't move!"

Onix summoned up a large barrage of Rocks and shot them towards Gumshoe.

"Gumshoe! Dig Play number 3!" Hue called.

"Growl." Gumshoe grinned at Hue before Onix covered him in a bunch of Rock Tomb rocks.

As Onix let go of the rocks and they all rolled away,

Gumshoe was scraped but still standing.

"Wh-what?" Brock yelled.

"Brock, did you honestly think I didn't see something like that coming?" Hue asked.

"You said Dig Play number 3!" Brock said. "But your Growlithe is still right there! He didn't use Dig at all!"

"Yes he did." Hue said. "He used Dig, just not to escape. Running away is _not_ something Gumshoe would do." He held up his pokedex again.

"Tell him Dean!"

"Growlithe has a brave and trustworthy nature. It fearlessly stands up to bigger and stronger foes."

"Growwwwlll!" Gumshoe howled.

"Now…" Hue said as he adjusted his glasses. "Take a look at the rocks from your Rock Tomb."

"Wha-Agh!"

Brock noticed the holes in each of the rocks. "You met the Rock Tomb head on with a Fire-type?"

"I met the Rock Tomb head on with _Gumshoe_. To classify him by his type...I could never do something like that. Gumshoe is himself, he has his own battle style, and it's my job as a trainer to make the best use of it that I can rather than trying to get him to conform to some other strange strategy."  
"But...this strategy _is_ strange…" Brock said. "A fire-type pokemon shouldn't defeat still be standing after a rock tomb like that!"

"I think you're underestimating Gumshoe's and my determination." Hue said. "Up until now, we've been taking quite a beating. One attack from you and we're probably finished, wouldn't you agree Gumshoe?"

"Growlithe." Gumshoe gave Hue a nod and a grin.

Hue adjusted his glasses.

Good.

He was waiting for that to happen.

"The hell is he doing?" Donovan asked. "Is he trying to encourage Brock to win?"

"You shush." Aura said. "This is the best part."

"Argh!" Brock said. "Onix, use B-"

Before Brock could tell Onix to do anything, Onix lost control of itself and charged at Gumshoe.

"Onix, what the hell are you doing?!" Brock asked, confused.

"It's using Rage!" Diane yelled.

"Gumshoe…" Hue said.

"Lithe…" Gumshoe panted.

Onix sped up and the second it made contact with Gumshoe…

"Reversal!" Hue yelled.

"Growlllllllliiiiiiiiithe!" Gumshoe yelled as he bit Onix's spike on its head and swung the entire rock snake, slamming it into the wall behind a ducked down Hue.

"O-Onix is unable to battle!" The ref said. "Growlithe is the winner, which means the winner of this match is Hue, the challenger!"

"Onix, return." Brock said as he returned his Onix.

He walked across the field and gave Hue a small grey badge, the same as the one Aura had gotten earlier.

"I...I'm at a loss for words…" Diane said as she and Donovan walked up to Hue, who returned Gumshoe to his pokeball.

"Care to explain how you knew that Onix wouldn't listen to Brock?" Donovan asked.

"It was what Dean, my pokedex AI, was about to say earlier." Hue said with a grin as he held Dean up.

"Growlithe uses its advanced olfactory sense to determine the emotions of other living things."

"All that we needed to do was land a flame wheel on its head." Hue said. "Because it wasn't only Growlithe that I did my research on."

"Onix has a magnet in its brain." Dean stated before Hue closed it again.

"Basically, heat up the magnet, you can manipulate the Onix."

"You….did all that research?"

"I had the ability to." Hue shrugged. "If Brock hadn't told me the pokemon we would both be using, I'd have had a much harder time, but he came and told me about everything. I won because I knew both myself and my enemy."

"Great job Huey!" Aura said with a smile. "We've both got a badge now!"

"Ahem." Donovan said as he and Diane showed off their Boulder Badges as well.

"All four of us." Diane said.

"Yeah.." Officer Jenny said into her phone. "Yeah, he did….. And what about-...but shouldn't we keep tabs?...really?...Well good for him….Roger."

She turned to face Hue.

"Congratulations on your win." She said. "I'm sorry, but I've got to get back to the station. You four should go check out the Museum tomorrow. It'll be all cleaned up from today and you can actually enjoy yourselves!"

The next day, the four of them went around the Pewter Museum, looking at fossils and at the Space Exploration exhibit. It was a happy day. The Museum looked as though no crime had ever happened there. The clerk at the counter was the museum worker from yesterday, so he let Hue and Aura in for free, just the once.

Everything was nice and peaceful.

Douglas slept as he rested atop Hue's head.

Karakara looked to be enjoying herself as Aura carried her around the museum.

Diane and Donovan talked to Hue about what they each were up to, and the three agreed to attempt to meet up with each other like this again in Vermillion City, where they apparently held a beach party every week.

If Hue remembered correctly, that's also where the SS Anne was slated to dock for that strong and or rich trainer's party that Davon had won a ticket for.

That's when it happened.

It was only background noise at first…

But there was no mistaking it…

"Anyhow." Someone's voice said. "Apparently the news was talking about it, they think NTR might be causing trouble in ."

As soon as those words were uttered, Aura and Karakara darted out the Museum.

Without saying goodbye to Donovan or Diane, Hue ran after her.

He was halfway along Route 3 when he finally caught up to her.

"Aura!" He said as he grabbed her hakama collar, stopping her from running any further.

"Hue, I need to get to Mt. Moon!" She said, her dark green eyes trying to pierce his very soul. "I know its dangerous but...NTR...they...they killed my brother….I...I need to...I need to make sure they end up behind bars! Don't try to stop me!"

"I never said I was going to try to stop you." Hue said. "But we need to think this through. We can't just go rushing into if there really is a criminal syndicate operating there. We have to be careful."

"We?" Aura asked. "You're coming too? No...You need to stay back, if anything happened to you because of me, I'd...Gah!" She went red when and turned away before she finished the sentence.

Hue laughed and nodded. "Of course I'm coming too." He said. "We're partners aren't we? Besides, you going in there alone is something I can't allow. I'd never be able to forgive myself if you ended up getting hurt because I stayed behind."

"Huuuueeee…" Aura buried her head in his chest.

"Calm down." Hue said calmly. "We'll set up camp here tonight, and then we'll continue towards Mt. Moon tomorrow. A good night's sleep will allow you to clear your head."

"Bone…" Karakara tugged at Aura's hakama.

She gestured as though she wanted to be picked up.

Aura wiped some tears from her face and picked Karkara up, kissed her Cubone's skull helmet, and then closed her eyes and collapsed into Hue.

"Gah!" Hue said as he caught her. "

Uhhh...Uhh...Uhh…"

He didn't quite know what to do.

The only girl he had ever held this close before was his little sister Gloria, but needless to say, this was a much different scenario...

Was Aura okay? That was the first thing he wondered.

Hue checked for breath and a pulse.

She was just sleeping.

Hue didn't blame her for that.

He set up camp himself that night, moving a sleeping Aura around with him.

After it was all set up, he sat by the fire for a little while longer, and looked at Aura in her sleeping bag.

Karakara was notably not there.

When Hue found her, she was a lot closer to him than he expected her to be. She was looking up at the sky.

"Bone…." She pointed with her club to a shooting star.

"You should make a wish." Hue told her.

"Cubone?"

"When you see shooting stars in the sky…" Hue told the Cubone. "If you make a silent wish and don't tell anyone, it will come true."

"Bone….Cubone…" Karakara looked back up at the sky for a few more minutes before returning to Aura's sleeping bag and snuggling up to her.

Hue thought to himself about what a strange girl Aura was.

He still barely knew anything about her.

She was rather confident in herself and her abilities, and seemed to like calling Hue 'Huey' like Diane does all the time.

That was by and large all Hue really knew.

Aside from that, she remained a mystery, and she didn't seem eager on letting Hue solve it.

Hue didn't know how illuminating this trip would be in regards to learning about Aura's past or her true nature, but he knew that she wanted to go to Mt. Moon and fight NTR with every ounce of her being.

Hopefully some sort of answers would pop up in there...

What would eventually happen in that cave known as though...

...Was something Hue never expected.


	10. We Could Use A Chef

Chapter 10:

We Could Use A Chef

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Squirtle): Water Gun, Withdraw, Tackle, Bubble

Ace(Pidgey): Mud-Slap, Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Flame Wheel

Egg: Occasionally Moves, Should Hatch Soon

"This stew again?" Aura asked as she, Hue, and their pokemon all gathered for lunch.

"Can't you learn to cook more recipes Huey?"

"If you don't like it, you can learn to cook yourself." Hue said as he handed Aura a helping of his beef stew. "I didn't realize that you'd need a travel partner to provide for you as well."

"Cooking takes patience that I don't have." Aura said as she began to eat despite having just complained about the food.

"All I'm saying is that it wouldn't kill you to change up the menu every now and then."

"But it's really easy for me to make stew and soups and such, especially with both Gumshoe and Douglas to help me."

Gumshoe and Douglas both looked up from their dishes of pokemon food and gave grins to Karakara, Aura's Cubone, who was sitting in her trainer's lap.

"Bone." Karakara turned away from them.

Fushi, Aura's Bulbasaur, on the other hand was getting along great with both Gumshoe and Douglas, as he picked up his dish of pokemon food and moved over to where they were sitting.

"Saur!" He greeted them.

"Squirtle Squirt!" Douglas waved.

"Growlithe." Gumshoe wagged his tail.

"You really should socialize with the others." Aura told Karakara with a smile. "They're friends, so they won't hurt you."

"Cuuuu….."

"Squirtle!" Douglas walked up to Karakara and offered some of his pokemon food.

"See?" Aura said to Karakara, who was taken by surprise by Douglas's generosity. "He's offering you to eat with him."

"Bone…." Karakara got down off of Aura and reluctantly followed Douglas back to the other pokemon.

"That's new." Aura said to Hue. "Karakara had a hard time socializing when it was just me and my own pokemon…"

"Well, I think she might be a bit more comfortable around Douglas, since he's outside his pokeball almost all the time as well." Hue reasoned as he sat down with his own stew.

"Yeah…" Aura said biting her nail. "That's probably it."

"You're biting your nail." Hue noticed. "You've got something on your mind?"

Aura blushed and looked away.

"W-what are you talking about?"

"You bite your nail and avoid making eye contact with me when you have something that's troubling you." Hue said. "It isn't terribly hard to pick up on. So what's up?"

"It's just…."

Aura took a deep sigh.

"Thank you."

"Your welcome I guess...Wait, thank you for what?"

Aura bit her nail and began to look away again, but stopped herself and instead opted to look at Hue directly.

"For stopping me the other night. I let my emotions get the better of me. I'm sorry you weren't able to give your friends a proper goodbye."

"Oh is that all?" Hue asked with a bit of a laugh.

"Don't laugh at me!" Aura said, getting a little mad.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Hue said, still grinning. "It's just….It's funny how you seem to think that I'd get mad over something like that. Do I really strike you as that angry of a person?"

"Well...No…" Aura said. "You're too stupid to be able to get angry very easily. I imagine it would take something of considerable consequence to even get you riled up. But you _do_ strike me as the type who might get sad by overanalyzing simple things, and…"

She looked away.

"I guess, I don't want to see you sad…" She said.

"Well that's good to hear." Hue said. "I don't want to see you sad either."

Aura sighed.

"Diane's right. You are oblivious."

Hue jokingly mimed a tear dripping down his face.

Aura kicked his shin under the table with a grin. "Oh come on."

At that moment, Ace, Hue's Pidgey, along with Koko, Aura's Beedrill, returned from their flight trip to the nearest Pokemon Center.

"Sounds like we'll be camping on Route 3 again tonight." Hue said to Aura. "So maybe we ought to pack up and start moving."

As the pokemon were all returned to their pokeballs, Douglas and Karakara were the last two left out.

"Hey guys.." Aura said. "We're trying to get to Mt. Moon as fast as possible so we're sorry but you'll have to wait in your pokeballs okay?"

"Bone…"

"Squirtle…"

Before Karakara and Douglas were returned, Douglas held out his hand to Karakara.

"Squirtle!" He said, cheerfully.

"That's new for him." Hue said. "He normally doesn't shake hands with my other pokemon…"

"Awww." Aura said. "Karakara, he's saying good-bye to you. Go on, say goodbye back to him!"

"Bone…" Karakara slowly held out her hand, and inched closer to Douglas.

Right before they met, Karakara bonked her bone on Douglas's head and retreated into her pokeball.

"Squirtle…" Douglas rubbed his head and went into his own pokeball.

"Sorry buddy." Hue said into Douglas's pokeball. "I know you want to make lots of friends...better luck next time."

Aura sighed. "Let's get this walking done with, shall we?"

"You don't sound too enthuastic about this…"

"This is Route 3." Aura said as she held up Hue's guidebook to the Kanto region. "It's full of ledges and areas we'll need to be careful climbing up and down. It's also a popular destination for trainers who've just gotten a Boulder Badge to battle each other. As such, there's barely any wild pokemon here, and well…"

Aura turned red as she bit her nail and looked away. "There's...a pokemon I want to catch here."

"That's right. You said you had a list like that, that was more important than the league itself to you, right?"

"Right." Aura nodded, looking back at Hue again. "But...please don't laugh if we find the pokemon I want…"

"Wow, what is it?" Hue asked. "I can't imagine you being embarrassed by anything…"

"J-Jigglypuff…" Aura crossed her arms and looked away once more. "I want a Jigglypuff okay?"

"Pffff…."  
"Hey I said don't laugh!"

"I...I'm not...pfft...gonna...laugh...pfffft."

"Yeah, you better not." Aura's dark green eyes were back to shooting daggers.

Hue calmed himself down.

He hadn't expected Aura to want a pokemon so...pink…

But if she wanted it, he did say that he'd help her obtain one…

"A Jigglypuff?" A voice behind them asked.

"I could help you two find one."

Hue and Aura turned around to see a short boy with shaggy black hair and bright blue eyes.

"I'm Freddie." The boy said, holding his hand out. "Freddie Franks."

Hue and Aura looked at each other.

This kid looked like he was eight years old. What was he doing out here?

"Umm...I'm Aura…" Aura said. "And this is Hue…."

"H-How old are you exactly?" Hue asked.

"Wha? Oh, I'll be 14 once November rolls around."

"What?!" Hue and Aura both asked in the exact same surprised tone.

"Huddle." Aura told Hue.

"What's with this kid?" Hue whispered as he and Aura formed a two man huddle.

"He said he's going to be 14 soon, but he looks like he's not even old enough to be a trainer yet!"

"I know, he looks like he'd be our son if we were adults…"

"Oh ew!" Freddie said, overhearing the conversation. "I didn't realize that you had _that_ kind of relationship with each other. This chef's gonna find some other taste testers…"

"Wait!" Hue stopped Freddie from leaving. "It's okay, we don't have that kind of relationship, we're just stating objective facts. If you're a chef, then how about you give me some recipes to cook that isn't just soup?"

"Woah woah woah.." Freddie broke out of Hue's grip. "Okay, okay, geez, Glasses, your attitude sure changed…"

"So...You're a Chef?" Aura asked as the three of them walked down Route 3, led by Freddie, who knew the pathways that would help them avoid trainers.

"That's correct." Freddie said. "I'm Freddie Franks, the youngest professional chef to ever grace the Kanto region. Here's my proof."

He held up a very regal looking letter.

As Hue read through it, he noticed that it was an invite to cook for the SS Anne Trainer Party.

"Well, that's quite the…"

"It's how I get into the fancy shindigs without being strong or rich myself." Freddie said. "I'm a trainer too though, so maybe I can surprise a few trainers on board who find themselves wandering into the kitchen…"

"You're a trainer?" Hue asked.

"I've already obtained two badges." Freddie said as he held up a Boulder Badge and a badge that Hue could only assume came from Viridian City's pokemon gym.

"But to be honest, I'm only interested in cooking food with the pokemon I catch being my assistants."

"I see…" Aura said. "So in return for helping me find and catch a...pokemon…"

"I'd like you guys to be my taste-testers for dishes that I prepare. I imagine it would entail myself tagging along with you guys for at least a little while. For instance, at least until we reach Cerulean City."

"Hrm…" Aura bit her nail and looked down. "Well, as long as you stay on guard when we go through …And if either Hue or I tell you to do something, listen to what we say...Do that, and I think we have a deal."

"Thanks Hakama." Freddie said. He turned to Hue. "What about you, Glasses?"

Hue shrugged.

"We could use a Chef." He said with a smile. "But you've got to promise me something as well."

Hue showed Freddie his pokemon egg.

"This egg is off-limits." Hue said. "It's a gift from a friend of mine and I plan to hatch it and train whatever pokemon comes out."

"Fair enough." Freddie said with a smile.

"Now let's find a Jigglypuff."

After a few more minutes of walking, Freddie signaled for Hue and Aura to stop.

Hue reasoned Freddie had stopped because some Jigglypuffs could be found nearby.

That reminded him, how would he be able to help Aura catch this pokemon in the first place? He'd never dealt with this type of pokemon before...

"Hmmm…" Hue said, thinking. "I'm going to search the pokedex for data on Jigglypuffs. If I find anything, that might be useful, I'll let the two of you know."

"Alright…" Aura whispered as she took out one of her pokeballs. "Koko, I choose you."

"Drill?" Koko, Aura's Beedrill asked as she buzzed out of Aura's pokeball, confused that there was not opponent.

"Koko, you and I are going to catch a friend okay?" Aura asked.

"Beedrill!" Koko saluted Aura.

"I know from experience that you can find Jigglypuffs around this area…" Freddie said as he set his backpack down and began to set up a camp.

"I'll get started on dinner."

"But...we both just had lunch…" Hue said as he and Aura exchanged curious glances.

"Not all dishes take the same amount of time to prepare." Freddie said with a grin.

"I want to create one of my best dishes for you guys, so it will take a while."

"You do that." Aura muttered,

Hue went back to sorting through his Pokedex, looking for any data it might have on Jigglypuff.

Quite a few things caught his eye.

"Aura...it might be harder to catch this pokemon than you think…" He said. "The data varies here and there but in general all the researchers agree that looking at one of these things in the eyes will pretty much trigger its innate ability to sing and put anything that hears the song to sleep, and because you were looking into its eyes, you won't be able to turn away and leave.

"So...don't look it in the eyes?"

"Well….there was one entry...apparently, its eyes will start to quiver and it will sing its lullaby as well, so even not looking it in the eyes is an effective countermeasure…"

"I don't get what-"

"You need to block out sound as well."

"The buzzing that Koko does just by flying around should be sufficient white noise…" Aura said. "But I'm worried about that bit with the eyes...Both Koko and I need to see otherwise we won't catch the Jigglypuff…"

"No…" Hue said as he held out his pokeball with the police department symbol on it.

"You don't need to see...Just _smell._ "

"So, that's how you intend to help me catch my list of pokemon." Aura mumbled as she clasped her hands around Hue's and Gumshoe's pokeball.

"I'll return him when I come back with a Jigglypuff later. Stay here until then ok?"

"Didn't plan on going anywhere else…" Hue said looking over at Freddie, who seemed rather focused on his food.

"Alright then." Aura chimed. "I'll see you later, boys."

With that promise, Aura took Gumshoe's pokeball and left in the direction that Koko had gone in.

"Finally…" Freddie said when Aura left. "Your girlfriend's gone…"

"Ummm…." Hue cleared his throat. "She's not my-"

"It's not that I don't like her or you, or think that you guys wouldn't make a good couple but…" Freddie said, seeming to have ignored the earlier clarification from Hue that he and Aura were not an item. "I just can't stand that romance stuff...far too gross for this chef's palette."

"I'm sure your life must be filled with agony." Hue remarked sarcastically as he let his other two pokemon out of their pokeballs.

"Pidgey?" Ace questioned as Douglas climbed directly up onto Hue's head.

"Your wondering where Aura is?" Hue asked Ace.

She nodded.

"Aura's out on a bit of a Safari. She took Gumshoe with her."

"Gey…." Ace cooed.

While Freddie continued to cook, a pokemon appeared from one of his pokeballs.

It looked like Charolette, only much bigger and redder.

"Charmeleon…" It hissed with a smile.

"Ah, perfect timing, Charmeleon." Freddie said, not even caring about the pokemon that Hue had sent out. "Could you light the burner for me?"

"Charmeleon!" The Charmeleon saluted Freddie before using what Hue assumed must have been Ember.

"Charmeleon huh…" Hue raised his pokedex up. "What have you got for me this time, Dean?"

"[Charmeleon]" Dean stated. "The [Flame] Pokemon. The evolved form of Charmander. It has razor sharp claws and its tail is exceptionally strong. It lashes about with its tail to knock down its foe. It then tears up the fallen opponent with sharp claws."

"Charmeleon is the perfect pokemon for someone who needs to shred cheese or lettuce, or a butcher who needs specific parts of meat." Freddie explained. "To top it off, it's a fire-type and has the ability to help heat up any meals it helps create."

"That's...pretty cool actually." Hue said, impressed. "I didn't know pokemon could be trained like that…Do you have any other pokemon that help you cook?"

"Not really…" Freddie admitted. "Most of my skill as a chef comes from me, you know? I do have... _one_ other pokemon helper, but I couldn't send him out right now. Far too windy…"

"Too windy?" Hue asked.

"You'll meet him once we reach the pokemon center…" Freddie said with a devilish grin. "For now, focus on helping me with the food."

After helping Freddie with the food for what felt like hours on end,

Aura finally returned.

She looked bruised and beat up, but what caught Hue's attention was…

"Bwahahahahaha" Freddie fell over laughing. "Your face! Your face!"

"My….face?" Aura asked, confused.

"Hue!" She noticed Hue, staring dumbfounded at her face. "What's wrong with my face?"

"Well...maybe Douglas ought to wash you off…" Hue said.

"Oh…" Aura said, relaxing. "It's just the marker isn't it?"

Hue nodded.

Aura tossed Gumshoe's pokeball to Hue and he caught it.

"Your dog was a big help. That pink fluff tried to leave us stranded three times."

"Three times?"

"Yeah…" Aura said as she held up a pokeball that had a pink circle on it. "But I did it...Purin is now part of…"

Hue glanced over at his pokemon, and Freddie's who were working hard at the grill.

Uh-oh.

"my...team…" Aura said as she slouched down into the table that Hue had set up.

This action was unfortunate, as due to her slouch, Aura accidentally sent Purin out of the pokeball.

"Jiggly...Puff!" Purin said as it grabbed a nearby spatula to use as a microphone.

"No...No!" Hue said as he tried to bring his hands up to his ears.

But it was too late.

He heard the soothing song that Purin had begun to sing, and fell asleep.

Of course, the raging fire caused by the knocked over grill woke everyone right back up, and even got Purin to stop singing.

"That pokemon _cannot_ be out while I'm cooking!" Freddie yelled as Hue and Douglas worked to put out the fire.

"Yeah." Hue agreed with Freddie. "Aura, I'm very happy for you, but maybe its best if Purin stays inside of her pokeball for the most part…"

"Yeah…" Aura agreed. "You're both right, but there is one thing I feel I should make perfectly clear."

"What's that?" Hue and Freddie both asked as Aura returned Purin and held up the pokeball with the pink circle.

"This is _his_ pokeball, Huey." Aura chimed with a devil grin.

Hue put his hand on his head.

"You have to be kidding me…"

"Not kidding at all!" Aura beamed. "Now, where's dinner?"

"Dinner is dead…." Freddie said, looking at the remains of the grill. His Charmeleon seemed to be tearing up alongside him.

"Our beautiful dinner Charmeleon...It's been reduced to ashes…"

"Charrrrr…."

Both Aura and Hue laughed nervously.

"Oh well…" Freddie said as he began to pull out dish after dish of fancy gourmet food.

"I guess these rejects will have to do…"

"T-those are...rejects?" Aua asked, astonished. "T-They look delicious."

"They are." Hue said, having already begun eating.

"Of course they are." Freddie said. "I have to eat too, you know."

"But...you just said…" Aura was confused. "That the food was...rejected…"

"I couldn't follow the recipe _exactly_ the same for these foods." Freddie clarified. "Thus they are technically rejects of the recipe that I was trying to follow…"

"Oh hey…" Hue pointed to a dish that looked really weird.

"What is that?"

"Oh that?" Freddie got a glint in his eye. "It's delicious have some, and I'll tell you what it is."

He wasn't going to tell Hue the truth, that was obvious. But he did seem to be waiting for Aura.

The second Aura put it in her mouth, a smile appeared on her face.

"This is amazing." She said.

"I'm glad you like it." Freddie replied with the devil grin and the glint still in his eye. "It's rotisserie Jigglypuff."

Freddie's lie backfired as Aura spit it all out into his face.

"Hopefully you were kidding." Aura said with a look of malice in her eye. "Otherwise you won't live long enough to be upset that your face was spat on."

"I _was_ kidding…It's just Ducklett" Freddie said as he wiped his face off and Aura calmly but cautiously took another bite.

Hue let out a sigh.

He doubted he'd get much time to sleep with these two around.

Then, he could have sworn…

For the third time now…

That person in black, with a shade of crimson…

Hue gulped, as he came to terms with his realization.

He didn't know why, or for how long, but he knew...

...He was being followed.


	11. At The Base Of The Mountain

Chapter 11:

At The Base Of The Mountain

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Squirtle): Water Gun, Withdraw, Tackle, Bubble

Ace(Pidgey): Mud-Slap, Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Flame Wheel

Egg: Occasionally Moves, Should Hatch Soon

"But I don't _have_ a psychic type _or_ a ghost type pokemon." Hue told Freddie for the eighth time that morning.

"And since Ace would already be over working herself, I don't have a pokemon that can substitute for it. I can't create the dish this way…"

"Okay, okay, fine…" Freddie said, closing his large cookbook, full of exquisite recipes and even containing a few recipes that he wrote himself.

Aura was busily doing some sort of morning exercise routine with all her pokemon.

Her Jigglypuff, Purin, seemed to have performed enough for the time being, and was behaving himself this time.

Karakara was participating very enthusiastically for once.

Koko buzzed happily as she carefully tapped her thin legs with her stingers.

Fushi was on his hind legs, actually doing the same stretch as Aura. Hue was impressed with Fushi's dedication to detail.

"One..two..One..two.." Aura said as she alternated between touching her toes on each foot.

Hue hadn't brought up what he had seen yet.

Everyone was having too much fine, and besides,

they were almost at the Route 4 Pokemon Center, right near Mt. Moon, where some of NTR was allegedly located.

He could bring it up with them when he had the time.

Now was the time to have some fun.

He sent out his own pokemon.

"Squirtle!" Douglas called as if to say 'good morning'.

"Pi-dgey!" Ace cooed a strange battle cry as though she was ready to fight today.

"Groowwlithe!" Gumshoe yawned, probably still a little tired from helping Aura catch her Jigglypuff.

"Come on guys!" He said as he ran to join Aura in leading some morning stretches.

"And make sure you work up enough appetite so that there are no leftovers!" Freddie yelled as he sent out his Charmeleon.

"Meleon!" Charmeleon said. He looked around for a grill.

"No…" Freddie shook his head. "You need to stretch too. I'm a trainer too after all. But...well... _someone_ has to make breakfast."

"Meleon!" Charmeleon beat its belly and ran over to join the other pokemon.

This was a great morning to what would become an otherwise very stressful day…

"The Route 4 Pokemon Center…" Aura said, her eyes gleaming.

"And over there…." She turned and pointed to a small cave in the side of the mountain. "That's Mt. Moon…"

"Ahh yes, and what a beauty she is." A familiar voice said behind Hue and Aura.

Davon Le Rouge waltzed in front of you and took a look at the Egg.

"How is the little one faring?" He asked. "Have you figured out what will hatch from it yet?"

"N...no…" Hue said. "Like you said back when you gave it to me...This could be anything…"

"Davon...How did we get ahead of you?" Aura asked. "You left Pewter before we even challenged the gym there…"

"Well you see…." Davon said, turning slightly red. "I'm waiting for someone here. I was just on a bit of a stroll and happened to run into you two, my friends."

He ran his hand back along his gelled hair.

"Have either of you seen a girl with a Magnemite recently?"

"We've seen a boy with a Charmeleon." Hue shrugged. "Is that close enough?"

"Hah." Davon laughed. "Hardly. I'm looking for a girl named Karen. Karen Walls. Should you run into her, please do let her know that I'm here and waiting just like I promised."

"Oh...okay…" Hue said.

Once inside the pokemon center, Hue, Aura, and Freddie all put their pokeballs in trays and handed them to Nurse Joy.

"Excuse me…" Aura said to Nurse Joy, starting to show signs of anxiety.

She looked around to make sure no one other than Hue or Freddie was listening.

"I heard that NTR was sighted in Mt. Moon...Is that true?"

"I sure hope not…" Nurse Joy said as she took everyone's pokemon to that strange healing machine.

"Though I suppose there _was_ one trainer who seems to believe those rumors...A strange girl that one, you should be able to find her in the commons lobby…"

Aura and Hue exchanged looks.

"Do you think-?" Hue began.

"Yeah...probably…" Aura said with a nod, interrupting him. "Come on." She walked towards the commons lobby.

Hue gulped and followed.

He knew she would get like this again when they got here.

Alright Hue, deep breaths. She might try to do something reckless, but you can be the mature one and set the example. Remain calm…

"I feel so out of the loop right now…" Freddie sighed as he followed Hue, who was following Aura. "Why did I agree to go along with these two again?"

Aura, Hue, and Freddie instantly noticed the trainer that Nurse Joy had been talking about.

She was sitting at a table, overlooking a bunch of newspaper articles about NTR.

Then, just as Hue had expected, a Magnemite appeared and handed her more newspapers.

"Thanks Magnemite…" She said with a quiet smile. "Don't worry. We'll get him back."

"Get who back?" Aura asked as she eagerly set next to the girl and leaned in towards her.

"Are you going to fight NTR? Are they in Mt. Moon?"

"Who...are you…" The girl asked, leaning as far back as she could.

"Aura…" Hue grabbed her hakama collar and hoisted her away from the trainer. "Let's not harass the girl that Davon is waiting for."

He turned to the girl with the Magnemite.

"Am I correct in assuming that your name is Karen Walls?"

"Yes…" Karen said, raising an eyebrow suspiciously.

"But, I'm afraid I don't have a clue who either of you are."

"Well, surely you know Freddie Franks…" Freddie said. "I'm a famous chef after all…"

"Hm...sure, I guess I know the name Freddie Franks…" Karen shrugged. "I don't really care all that much though, to be honest. I've kind of got a situation on my hands here…"

"NTR?" Aura asked. Her eyes were getting all...dagger-y, again.

"Aura's got a bit of a vendetta against them." Hue explained. "Normally, she'd be acting more like me…"

"Normally, I behave even _better_ than you." Aura cracked a sly smile. "But, I guess you're right, Huey…"

"Huey?" Karen asked. "That's a weird name."

"Please don't use it." Hue said getting embarrassed. "I prefer that my friends call me Hue…"

"O-oh…" Karen said. "I get it, so she's your girlfriend or something?"

"N-no!" Aura denied adamantly. "We're just traveling companions! I only call him that because I heard his sister use it and I think he's cute!"

Hue froze up.

"What was that you just said?" Karen cracked a smile.

Aura skimmed her memory, mouthing what she had just said. Her face then went bright red.

"Gahh! I mean, I mean, you know, I thought the _name_ was cute! I'm just a little distracted lately because of NTR-"

"Mmm-hmmm…" Karen said as she went back to her newspaper. "And I suppose Magnemite is close to evolving the way your hairs are standing on end…"

Hue was still frozen in place.

"You know…" Freddie said. "I'm pretty sure I shouldn't be here. I'm going to go...somewhere else. Come get me before you head into Mt. Moon."

"Yeah, sure, whatever." Aura said, waving him off.

"Hue?" Karen asked.  
Hue was _still_ frozen in place.

This was the first time he had ever been put in this situation…

"Davon Le Rouge is waiting for you Karen…" He said, still in a bit of trance.

Did Aura really just call him cute?

"Oh, not that fop again…" Karen rolled her eyes. "I told him that I'm glad for his help, but I'm not about to travel the country with him…"

"Help?" Aura asked, eager to change the topic away from herself. "What did he help with?"

"I'm heading in Pewter City's direction…" Karen said.

"But on my way through Mt. Moon, NTR ambushed me and tried to steal my Bulbasaur…"

" _Another_ Bulbasaur?" Hue put his hand to his head. "Why does nearly everyone I run into have one of those things?"

"They're Bulby bundles of joy, Huey!" Aura chimed. "Just because you weren't smart enough to get one doesn't mean you can be rude to those of us who did!"

Hue froze up again. He didn't quite get it. He got a sort of tingly feeling when Aura used that name...

"A-anyway…" Karen said. "One of the grunts managed to steal my Bulbasaur, but Davon helped me out. He trained my Magnemite, and helped us track the grunt down and take Bulbasaur back…"

"Uh-huh…" Hue said. "Then what?"

"He escorted me out of Mt. Moon, and said he would wait for me outside this pokemon center." Karen said.

Hue had a feeling…

"The pokemon used to steal your Bulbasaur from you…Was it a _Golbat_?"

"Yes!" Karen said, as she gasped surprised. "How did you know?"

"I think whoever took your Bulbasaur, also took a Moon Stone from the Pewter Museum…"

"Hue…" Aura's eyes became fixated on his. "If you're bringing that up...I don't suppose…"

"It's a theory…" Hue nodded. "But, there was something that bothered me about that murder at the museum…"  
"I thought you said something was _stolen_!" Karen said, gasping again. "Who the hell are you?"

"Hue, Aura, Freddie, your pokemon are all back up to full health!" Nurse Joy called from her counter.

Hue quickly grabbed his pokemon and returned to where Karen was sitting.

He showed her Gumshoe's pokeball.

It still had its Kanto Police Department symbol on it.

"I'm a detective." He said. "I became one after solving a murder case that Aura and I accidentally walked in on."

"Talk about bad luck…" Karen mumbled. She turned to Aura…

"And you're-?"

"The trainer that will lock every last member of NTR up." Aura said.

"Good luck with that…" Karen returned to her newspapers.

"I'm busy trying to figure out what cities to stay away from…Once Magnemite, Bulbasaur, and I all get our bearings, we'll challenge a few NTR members ourselves, but as it stands now, we're just heading to Pewter, trying to get a badge, and then we'll go south to Viridian. I heard the Gym Leader there is really strong. I feel like it would be better to get that battle out of the way early on, so that he can't use his best pokemon against me…"

"How many badges do you currently have?" Hue asked.

"Just the Cascade Badge…" Karen said as she showed Hue and Aura a badge that looked like a drop of water. "I got it from Cerulean City's gym. The gym leader there, her name is Cassy. She's a relatively new gym leader, but you can tell why she has the position. She's usually out and about though, so you might have to comb the town to find her if you want to challenge her to a match…"

"Cerulean City…" Hue looked at his map. "If we head through Mt. Moon, Cerulean City is just past Route 4 on the other side…"

"Hm." Aura nodded. "We kick some NTR butt and then kick some Gym Leader butt."

"Sure…" Karen said. "You two do that…"

"Karen…." Hue got himself back on track with his previous line of questioning. "The grunt who stole your Bulbasaur...was he wearing anything that you could use to identify him in a crowd?"

"Aside from the standard NTR uniform that he had on at the time…"

Karen began.

"He also had these weird glasses...Not like yours...His were...like, huge. He looked like the kind of kid that would get picked on easily. He probably stole my Bulbasaur because he thought it would impress his superiors…"

"I knew it…" Hue muttered to himself.

"Crap…" Aura bit her nail and looked away, realizing the conclusion that Hue had come to.

"Karen…" Aura said. "We know the boy who stole your Bulbasaur. His name is Morren Rex... If you want to track him down specifically, he's probably in Mt. Moon right now…"

"He's definitely in Mt. Moon right now…" Hue said. "He stole the Moon Stone for a reason…"

Just as Hue thought.

He had wondered why Morren had just happened to visit the museum that day, and he had found the fact that Morren didn't want to battle him or Aura rather suspicious. After all, it was the least he could have done for their assistance in clearing him of suspicion for murder…

Now Hue knew the truth…

Morren avoided battling them to avoid revealing his golbat to the public after Hue had correctly identified the pokemon responsible for the Poison Fang red herring…

The reason Morren had come back at all was to make sure that the only witness to his robbery had been taken care of…

"Just what is NTR planning?" Hue wondered. He could feel his arms tense up. His eyes began to quickly analyze everything again…

This was the same feeling he had gotten at the Pewter Museum…

Was this connected to his shots from eight years ago?

If so, what did this mean?

Karen's attitude towards Hue and Aura seemed to have changed.

"Go get Davon." She told them. "Tell him that the two of us are going to accompany you into Mt. Moon."

"I'm back…" Freddie said glumly.

"Alright." Aura said.

Hue wasn't sure she was talking to Karen or Freddie.

He found out the answer when Aura got up and turned around to notice Freddie.

"Oh Freddie, where have you been?" She asked.

So she had been talking to Karen…

"I _thought_ I was buying dinner…" Freddie said as he held up a Magikarp. " _But_...I may have accidentally... _caught it_ instead…"

"Karp! Karp!" The Magikarp flailed about.

"Ghastly!" A Ghastly appeared out from Freddie's other pokeball as it tried to sink its fangs into the Magikarp but then retreated back into its pokeball after not being able to break through the Magikarp's scales.

"What was that?" Hue asked. "Was that Ghastly?"

"Yeah, he's my second pokemon chef assistant." Freddie nodded. "And I guess Magikarp is part of the team now too…"

"Uhhhh…" Hue rose his pokedex to the Magikarp. "Let's see if it can help you at all I guess…"

"[Magikarp]," Dean's mechanical voice said. " The [Fish] Pokemon. Magikarp can live in the dirtiest of water. It can jump very well and evolve into Gyarados. Because all Magikarp seem to do is splash around, some consider them weak, but they're actually a hardy pokemon that can survive in water no matter how dirty it is. "

"Well...I suppose...It can….uhh...help squash berries for juice?" Hue shrugged.

"Thanks Hue...but I don't see this thing helping me all too much...I'll just keep it as a pet or something…" Freddie said as he returned his accidentally caught Magikarp to its pokeball.

"I've returned with the fop." Aura told Karen as she entered the pokemon center with Davon LeRouge in tow.

"What's going on?" Freddie asked.

"Oh, right…" Hue put his hand on his head. "Davon and Karen are going to join us as we head into Mt. Moon."

"Umm…heh…" Freddie let out a small laugh. "I don't have enough food for five people…"

"Oh, don't worry." Aura said. "They're only here to help us go looking for members of NTR."

"Oh, don't worry…" Freddie mocked. "We're just endangering everyone by looking to start a fight with a criminal syndicate…"

"Oh, don't be such a baby…" Karen rolled her eyes.

"I'll make sure nothing happens to you, good chef." Davon said, gelling his hair back. He then turned to Karen. "Or to the lovely miss Walls…"

Karen rolled her eyes. "No means no."

"I'll try again in another hour." Davon whispered to Hue as he nudged him in the shoulder.

"Hey Hue…" Aura tapped Hue on his other shoulder. "Before we go in there…There was something I wanted to clear up with you..."

"Y-yeah?" Hue asked, feeling how badly he was blushing.

He was still trying to clear his head of any misconceptions he might have had about Aura's slip of the tongue earlier, so when she acted...normal...It was really hard for him to also act normal.

"I was wondering if you planned to use Ethel's favor to call her here." Aura said.

Oh. Oh phew...That was...that was answerable…

Still though, Hue had a sneaking suspicion that this was not what Aura was originally going to say.

"I...wasn't planning to…" Hue said. "I'd rather not put more people in danger than necessary…"

"Oh, no, I wasn't asking you to!" Aura shook her head.

She bit her nail and looked away.

"It's just that she's pretty strong, so I thought you might-."

"I think you're probably stronger…" Hue shrugged honestly. "You two haven't had an official one on one battle yet. And you only lost in our tag battle because you were saving my sorry ass…"

That was apparently an answer that Aura really wanted to hear, as it filled her up with a ton of energy.

"Thanks Huey!" She said as she finally took her pokemon form Nurse Joy and ran towards the door of the pokemon center.

"Now, team, Into Mt. Moon!" She yelled.

Hue looked at Freddie, Davon, and Karen, who all nodded and followed at a similar pace.

As Hue ran, his mind raced with questions…

Most of which were actually selfish questions he wanted to ask some of the higher ups of NTR. He wanted to know about the shots he was given eight years ago...They had to be the source of the way his body felt right now...

His body was still tense like it was during the Pewter Museum incident, and his eyes were moving all over the place, analyzing every little thing that they saw…

Maybe it was because of that, that his eyes caught a glimpse of something that would have otherwise gone unnoticed…

Hue's Pokemon Egg was finally beginning to crack...


	12. The Moon Stone Project

Chapter 12:

The Moon Stone Project

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Squirtle): Water Gun, Withdraw, Tackle, Bubble

Ace(Pidgey): Mud-Slap, Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Flame Wheel

Egg: Sounds Can Be Heard Coming From Inside! It Will Hatch Soon!

"This can't happen now!" Hue said as he ran in front of Aura to show off the hatching egg.

"Aura, the egg! The egg!"

"I see it, Huey…" Aura said without looking at it, and continuing to head into Mt. Moon. "Just don't drop it, and it'll hatch no problem."

"Umm...hey guys…" Freddie called. "Wait up for us!"

Out of the corner of his eye, Hue noticed that Freddie, Karen, and Davon were all trailing a little behind.

"We'll wait for you once we get inside!" Aura called.

"About that…" Hue said as he continued to run at Aura's pace. "What exactly is it that you intend to do if we run into NTR?"

"Well, _obviously_ I'm going to foil whatever the hell they're up to and then you can have Officer Jenny come and take them away."

Hue didn't know whether to be worried that Aura didn't seem to have an actual plan of action, or to be relieved that she wasn't going to kill anyone…

He had other things to worry about however…

Like his Egg, which was getting closer to hatching by the second…

Or maybe his strange trance that he was in right now, where he seemed to know details about everything he laid his eyes upon.

Almost like some sort of computer…

This really freaked him out, and he knew NTR would have answers…

Just as he was thinking of that, he noticed another thing out of the corner of his eye.

"Aura, lookout!" He yelled as he tackled her to the ground just in time to avoid being caught in a falling cage.

"H-hue…" She said, panting. "What... was that?...Your..."

"Well…" Freddie's voice rang out. "It seems like some kind of cage…"

Hue turned to notice that Freddie, Karen, and Davon had all been trapped in the cage.

"It's fine…" He said. "I'll just have Gumshoe dig you guys o-"

Before Hue could say 'out', the cage containing Freddie, Karen, and Davon was quickly pulled into the dark cave of Mt. Moon, leaving Hue and Aura alone.

"Hue….Your…" Aura said, still trying to catch her breath.

"We should go after them…" Hue said.

"Hue!" Aura raised her voice. "Your-"

"My eyes?" Hue guessed.

They were probably moving all over the place due to the weird trance,,,

"No you idiot! Your _hand_!"

"Gahhhh!" Hue quickly got up off of Aura. "Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry!" He said repeatedly. "Complete accident! I swear!"

"I know…" Aura said as she stood up and brushed some dirt off of her hakama. "Just….be more careful next time…" She said as she bit her nail and looked away.

"Right…." Hue nodded. "Now come on. We should focus on reuniting with the others. We can't let them get hurt on our account."

He turned and began to, carefully, walk into Mt. Moon's cave passageway.

Wait a minute…

What the hell did Aura mean by _next_ time?

As Hue blushed and struggled to wrap his head around every single detail of everything that had just happened, Aura took out a pokeball.

Karakara's pokeball.

"Cuuuu…." Karakara said as the dark green Cubone was sent out. "Cubone…."

"Karakara…" Aura whispered. "NTR is here...We might be able to learn who their leader is if we can catch and trap one of their grunts here…"  
"Bone!" Karakara saluted Aura.

"Hey Huey….?" Aura asked sweetly. "Would you mind holding my other pokeballs for me?"

"A little, yeah…" Hue replied honestly. "This egg is going to hatch soon. I want to be able to use it right away…"

"Fine…" Aura only handed Hue two of her pokeballs. "Purin will stay with me. You can take Fushi and Koko, but only for holding onto them. I'm not giving them to you as a gift or anything of that sort."

"So it's a little like when you borrowed Gumshoe, got it." Hue said as he accepted Aura's pokemon…

"Wait, why are you doing this?" He asked.

"To avoid any pokemon getting stolen." Aura shrugged. "Good luck Huey!" She chimed as she waved and ran ahead of him into the cave. "Save the others for me 'k?"

"Aura wait!" Hue tried to run after her, but he was way too tired for it. He didn't have the stamina that Aura seemed to have right now…

Hue sat on the cave floor.

NTR was definitely in here.

That's why they had that cage set up…

They were probably trying to trap Hue and Aura in it, what with every other sentence Aura said being about NTR, it wouldn't surprise Hue if they had figured out about his and Aura's plan to mess with them in Mt. Moon…

Here Hue was...alone in a dark cave…

And he had no idea where his friends might be…  
Or...or did he?

"Gumshoe!" Hue called his Growlithe out.

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe barked.

"Gumshoe, I need you to search for Aura…" Hue said. He knew what she had told him earlier.

To focus on saving the others, but she was acting too reckless with these guys, and Hue was 110% certain that she was in the most danger.

Gumshoe tilted his head.

"Growlithe?" He asked.

"Oh right...you need her scent…" Hue said to himself as he took out Koko's pokeball.

Gumshoe sniffed it and then shook his head.

"Did she really-?" Hue asked.

He sniffed the pokeball…

It was definitely _not_ Aura's scent. She seemed to have covered her pokeballs in Potion spray. The overwhelming medicinal smell was masking any others.

She did _not_ want him to follow her.

"Oh...oh no…" Hue said as he held out his hand.

"I feel so wrong about this but, smell this, Gumshoe...And find the matching scent that isn't me."

"Growl….Lithe! Lithe!" Gumshoe jumped up after smelling Hue's hand and began to head into the cave, with Hue following close behind.

"So….This sucks…" Karen said as she sat in a corner of the cage that she, Freddie, and Davon were all trapped in.

"I suppose I should let us out…" Davon shrugged. "Machop! Please, assist!" He called as he brushed his gelled hair back and sent is Machop out.

"Ma-chop."

"Karate Chop, the bars please." Davon said.

"Chop Chop!" Machop nodded before it gave a karate chop and broke some bars of the cage.

"Ohhh, bravo…" A gruff man's voice said sarcastically from the darkness. "You broke through the cage…"

"I don't care for your sarcastic attitude…" Freddie said. "This prank isn't a very funny one. You had us scared for a bit there…"  
"Well, maybe _you_ were scared." Karen rolled her eyes, clearly only just annoyed at everything that was going on.

"Hey!" She shouted in the general direction of where the man's voice had come from. "You from NTR?"

"From it?" The man's voice asked in a laugh. "I _founded_ it. In any case...you _minor_ players can just stay put. Don't worry. You aren't in any danger...This is simply a test that I've devised to gauge how far Subject 4 has come."

"Subject 4?" Freddie asked. "What does that mean?"

"It _means_ …" The man's voice replied. "The 4th subject in our experiments during our earliest stages of development as a criminal syndicate. Now...I have some _urgent_ business I need to take care of. You kids just hang tight here. Wouldn't want to...fall…"

The man chuckled as his voice faded.

"What did he mean by fall?" Davon asked.

"Magnemite!" Karen sent out her Magnemite

"Ghastly!" Freddie sent out his Ghastly.

"Check out how high up we are." Karen said to Magnemite.

"Same to you buddy." Freddie told his Ghastly.

Both the pokemon gave as much of a nod as they could and crept through the cage opening.

They then descended down into the darkness.

"Good job, Purin…" Aura said as she praised her Jigglypuff for lulling some NTR members to sleep. "Now it's time to find out what they're doing here…."

"Jigglypuff!" Purin saluted.

"Cuuuu!" Karakara called for Aura, pointing at one of the grunts.

"Morren…." Aura muttured.

"Wake him up, Purin."

"Jiggly!"

After being hit with a Wake-Up Slap, Morren woke up.

"Gahhh!" He screamed.

"Who tied me up like this?" He asked as he struggled to get free.

"I did." Aura said as Karakara whacked Morren's face with her bone.

"Y-you!" Morren's eyes went wide. "You were with him in the Museum!"

"Yep." Aura said. "And you weren't completely honest with him back in the museum. were you?" Her eyes were shooting fierce daggers.

"I...I couldn't be found out!" Morren said. "I...I want to challenge the league, and they won't accept anyone with a criminal record! But...I...I need to work for them! I do!"

"No you don't." Aura said, showing no mercy as Karakara whacked Morren with her bone again.

"Tell me what NTR is doing here."

"We're...here for...the…" Morren was wheezing in between each word he said. "Moon...Stone...Project."

"Moon Stone Project?" Aura asked. "You will tell me about it."

Morren was busy catching his breath.

"Tell me!" Aura yelled as Karakara brought her bone down on Morren one more time.

"Agh!" Morren wailed in pain. "No...no more, please!" He choked out before beginning to wheeze again.

"Wait." Aura turned her head towards the direction she had run into this area from. "Someone's coming…"

"Morren…" A gruff man's voice said from the darkness. "You will not tell a word of the Moon Stone Project to our visitor. She's been very naughty, putting so many of my worker ants to sleep…"

"That's fine…" Aura said. " _You_ can tell me about the project yourself…I take it you're spearheading this operation?"

"While in a sense, I guess that's true…" The man's voice said from the shadows. "This operation is but a speck of cautious analysis compared to what I have planned...Miss Aura Jones."

Aura's normally piercing eyes suddenly became fearful.

"Y-you...know my name?"

"Of course I do." The man's voice said confidently. "You're an important piece on the game board you are. After all...You are _his_ sister…That insufferable little...I'm glad I had him taken care of."

This man...he was talking about her brother!

"You know who killed him?" Aura's eyes went back to their piercing mode. "Who did you send to do it? Who?"

"Oh, if only you _knew_!" The man's voice said, almost giddily. "I'll tell you what...you become Champion, little lady, and I'll tell you _exactly_ who killed your big brother!"

The man let out a bellowing laugh.

"Now… unfortunately… I'm going to have to knock you out. Please return both your pokemon so that I may take Morren without any unnecessary interference."

"I'd like to see you _try_." Aura said.

Those were her last words before she lost consciousness.

As Hue was following Gumshoe down the cave, he noticed an imposing man dressed up in a very fancy white dress suit, carrying a bound NTR member in one arm.

"Morren?" Hue accidentally let his thoughts escape his head.

The man looked down at him.

"Growl Growl!" Gumshoe started to bark at the man, rather furiously. He continued to bark throughout Hue's entire conversation with the man.

At least, Hue thought he did. The cave was still rather dark, and Hue couldn't make out anything about the man's face other than perhaps the fact that there were no visible wrinkles on it.

"Yes...this boy's name is Morren." The man said. "Would you like him? I'll give him to _you_. You're my favorite after all."

"F-favorite?" Hue raised an eyebrow confused. "I'm...not sure I understand sir…I'm your favorite...what exactly?"

The man laughed.

"Tell me, Hubert...what's your favorite chess piece?"

"I'm a...chess piece?" Hue asked. "And how do you...no nevermind...I know how you know my name…You're the leader of NTR aren't you?"

"Well, quite an excellent job Hubert." The man said.

"Stop calling me that…" Hue said. "You act as if we're on a first name basis or something. I thought I was a chess piece."

"I never said you were." The man laughed. "You assumed that yourself. No...the game I'm playing is a bit different from simple _chess_...It's much more... _complex_. And you're my favorite player, Hubert. The competition I am _most_ interested in...So take him as a gift."  
The man dumped Morren into Hue's arms.

"Oh and by the way…" The man said as he left. "That egg of yours...It's a pokemon that isn't found in Kanto, so good luck obtaining data on it once it hatches...Eh...I suppose I can help."

Before Hue, who was already reacting faster than normal, could react, the man snatched his pokedex away, and after fiddling with it, he handed it back. "There. I know you like to battle based on pokedex entries. It'll work on all pokemon now. Not just pokemon found here in Kanto."

The man gave a sigh. "Now I've got to leave. There aren't any other major players that I need to talk to here…"

"Wait...wait!" Hue called after him. "What was in those shots that I was given eight years ago?"

"Something that I'm surprised hasn't killed you yet." The man's silhouette said as he waved goodbye and exited the cave. "I'll tell you if you can become Champion, little lad."

"Growwwwllll…." Gumshoe growled as the man left.

"Thanks Gumshoe…" Hue said. "I guess that man is definitely an enemy…"

"Sir?" The man received a call on his phone.

"She's left again. She isn't in the designated area for her."

"Such defiance…" The man sighed. "She'll have to return eventually. I just had a talk with the other major players. They'll definitely draw her back there when the time comes. In the meantime, just keep observing Subject 4, and report the results of the Moon Stone Project."

"As you say sir."

The man closed his phone and sighed.

He hated when opposing players tried to make power plays…

"Aura!" Hue called as he ran up to a collapsed Aura on the ground, with both Karakara and Purin collapsed beside her.

"Aura?" Hue picked her up in place of Morren or his Egg.

He put his head to where her heart was.

"Oh phew…" He sighed relieved. "She's alright, Gumshoe...check Purin and Karakara…"

"Unnhhh…" Aura moaned as she opened her eyes.

"Hey, partner…" Hue said in as soft a voice as he could.

"Huey?" Aura asked in a bit of a daze. She seemed legitimately confused with whether he was there or not.

"Yeah, it's me…" He said. "What happened?"

"Ugh...Moon Stone Project…" Aura said, still tired. "Find out what it is...And stop it...I...I need to rest…" She said before closing her eyes again.

"You do that, buddy." Hue said, just relieved she was okay.

"Gumshoe…" Hue said. "You take care of Aura, Karakara, and Purin. I'll have Morren explain this crap to me while I search for the others. You know my scent, so find me once everyone is feeling better."

Hue took some potions and berries out of his backpack. "The berries are for everyone. The potions are for any wounds that the pokemon might have."

"Growlllithe!" Gumshoe barked affectionately as he dragged Aura by her hakama and put her and her pokemon all together in a safe little alcove of the cavern.

"So..basically the moonstone can make certain pokemon evolve…" Morren explained nervously as Hue led him through the cave. "But...uh...before I say any more...are these handcuffs really necessary? They're a little tight…"

"They're one size fits all." Hue said. "I was told so by the police department. Since you're a minor, you might be able to get parol pretty quickly so long as you don't work for NTR or any other criminal organization ever again."

"But...I'm a sucky trainer and I really need the money…"

"Oh for the love of, _I'll_ train you if I have to." Hue said, not entirely wanting it to be the case. "My egg has almost hatched and it ought to be a good starting opponent for you. Now come on...more about The Moon Stone Project!"

"R-right…" Morren said, adjusting his way too large glasses.

"Because some pokemon can evolve by coming into contact with the moonstone...NTR has been building a massive Super Moon Stone that should be able to cause any pokemon at all to evolve regardless of their species."

"That's...atrocious…" Hue said. "Do you understand the genetic deformities that might occur if something like that happens? You could destroy the entire ecosystem! A new pokemon might get created! A new type! New diseases might form! This is a really unsafe project!"

Just as Hue said 'unsafe'...

A Magnemite and a Ghastly dropped down from above.

"Magnemite!" Magnimite floated around Hue.

"Ghassstlyyyy…" Ghastly also floated around Hue.

"Are you Karen's and Freddie's?" Hue asked, surprised.

"Sir Hue Swanson?" Davon's voice called. "Is that you I hear?"

"Davon!" Hue tilted his head upwards.

That's when he noticed that there was a stalactite hanging from the cave ceiling that was significantly bigger than the others….Was that really a stalactite or-?

"Hang on!" Hue yelled. "Fushi is going to get you guys down from there!"

Hue sent out Aura's Bulbasaur.

"Saur?" Fushi asked, looking around for Aura.

"Sorry, Fushi. It's me…" Hue said.

"Saurrrrr…" Fushi groaned, upset that he wasn't getting to battle.

"Fushi, Aura's and my friends are trapped up there. We could really use your Vine Whip to help them get down…"

"Saur!" Fushi nodded.

The first one down was Freddie.

"Oh...oh thank-"

He looked around. "Where's your girlfriend?"

"Not my girlfriend, and she's back a ways, resting with Gumshoe and a few of her pokemon."

"Whoa…" A tired voice said.

"Count your Torchics before they hatch, Huey…" Aura said as she walked along the wall of the cave, being led by Gumshoe.

Karakara and Purin seemed to be in their pokeballs.

"Bulba!" Fushi's eyes lit up upon seeing his trainer, and he managed to bring Karen, and Davon down at the same time.

"Good job, Fushi!" Aura said, clearly still tired.

"So...You've probably figured it out by now…" Morren told Hue.

"Yep...The Super Moon Stone...It's that stalactite that's so much larger than the others, right?"

"Yes…" Morren nodded. "But...I don't know how to stop it from falling to the ground. Once it touches down, every pokemon within a five mile radius of Mt. Moon will be forced to evolve.

"Clefairy!"

"Clefairy!"

"Clefairy!"

Three Clefairy, one after another, jumped up each and touched the large rock, evolving in the process. Hue noticed that some dust fell from the large stone every time the Clefairy touched it and evolved...

"Clefable…"

"Clefable…"

"Clefable…"

"Did we just see three rare pokemon evolve into three rarer pokemon in a row?" Freddie asked in disbelief.

"Shut up Freddie, and pay attention to the Super Moon Stone…" Aura said pointing.

"She's right." Hue agreed. "It got smaller as the Clefairy evolved…"

"So what does that mean?" Davon asked.

"It _means_ …" Hue said, getting a glint in his eye.

"It means that it's breakable!" He yelled.

"Go! Douglas! Ace! Koko!"

Hue sent out all the pokemon he had on him.

"Squirtle!" Douglas yelled.

"Pid-gey!" Ace cooed.

"Beeeedrillllll." Koko buzzed as she switched places with Gumshoe at Aura's side.

"Purin!" Aura smiled as she sent out her Jigglypuff.

"And Karakara!" She said as she sent out her Cubone.

"Charmeleon!" Freddie smiled as he sent out his own pokemon to help Ghastly out.

"You join in too, Wartortle!" Davon called as he sent out a Wartortle.

"Bulbasaur!" Karen sent out her Bulbasaur.

Everyone looked at Morren.

"Wh-what?" Morren asked.

"Send it out." Hue said. "I know you have it."

"G-Golbat!" Morren said as he threw a pokeball and out popped a Golbat.

"I'm sure you have more than just Golbat…" Hue said. "Send out another one."

"..." Morren didn't call its name but he sent out a Charmander.

"Alright…" Hue said. "If we have all our pokemon attack it at the same time...The stones it breaks into _should_ only affect pokemon that evolve with a Moon Stone anyway."

"And...If not?" Morren asked.

"If not, you may or may not have a Crobat on your hands…" Hue said.

"Dammit Hue, this isn't the time to joke around!" Freddie said.

Hue took a huge breath.

He was either about to foil a plan, or speed it along. Hopefully the former.

"Is everyone ready?"  
Hue asked.

"Ready." Davon said as he gelled his hair back.

"Ready." Karen said with a nod.

"Ready." Freddie gulped.

"R-ready…" Morren timidly said.

"Aura?" Hue asked as he looked over his right shoulder to where Aura was before only to see she wasn't there any more.

Suddenly he felt something cold and warm at the same time on his left hand.

He quickly turned to see Aura standing there with a confident smile on her face.

"You even need to ask?" She joked before her face adopted the same serious look as everyone else. "Ready when you are."

"Alright…" Hue took another breath. "NOW!"

"Douglas, Bubble!"

"Wartortle, Water Pulse!"

"Magnemite, Shockwave!"

"Golbat, Supersonic!"

"Charmeleon! Flame Burst!"

"Ace! Mud-Slap!"

"Karakara, Purin, Perish Song and Sing!"

"Gumshoe, Reversal!"

"Bulbasaur! Vine Whip!"

"You use Vine Whip too Fushi!"

"Ghastly, Night Shade!"

"Charmander, Ember!"

"Koko, Fury Attack!"

"Machop, Rock Tomb!"

All the attacks hit the giant rock at around the same time.

"It's not quite enough!" Karen called.

"We need just a little more power!" Davon agreed.

Aura's grip on Hue's hand tightened.

Was she praying for something?

"We can do it…." She said.

"I believe we can do it, Huey…" She said calmly. "We can break this rock into a million tiny pieces! If anyone can do it, we can!"

"Aura…" Was all Hue was able to say. He really wanted to praise her, but he was just too happy to do it. She never gave up, not even when she was up against impossible odds...Maybe that's why Hue had allowed her to travel with him on such short notice. She had the ability to pursue past her limits, and that was something Hue really admired. It made him feel like they really could break this giant rock!

Yeah! They could!

"Aura!' He managed to choke out again.

"Now come on everyone!" Aura yelled in an inspiring tone.

Hue felt unease in his right hand…

The egg in the incubator...It was…

"Let's all _finish_ this!" She yelled as she raised the hand she was holding Hue's with.

All of a sudden the glass on the Egg's incubator broke…

The egg itself began to glow...Was this really how pokemon hatched?

It started to take shape…

It looked almost like...a toddler in a white dress.

It had green bowl-cut hair and a round pink horn…

"Raaaalllllllltssssss" The new pokemon yawned.

As it did, strange vocal waves hit the giant rock.

"Clefairy?"

"Clefairy?" Some clefairy began to surround the rock as well, and all at the same time began wagging their fingers.

"Clefaiiirrrrrr-y!" They all cheered as a whole barrage of pokemon moves hit the rock.

The giant stone then exploded with a big 'Ka-Boom!', revealing the moonlit sky outside the cave.

As small specks of MoonStone fell to the ground, everyone returned their pokemon, and Hue and Aura both fell to the cave floor, and just sat there.

"I think the egg hatched…" Hue said, as some Clefairy ran to catch the Moon Stone dust to evolve into Clefable under the full moon in the starry night sky. "We should probably also heal our pokemon at a pokemon center…"

"Yeah…" Aura said as she let go of Hue's hand. She looked a little disappointed.

"But…" Hue put his hand back on Aura's. "We can stay here for a little while longer. We need to rest, remember?"

"Awww, ewww, handholding?" Freddie asked. "I thought you said you weren't-"

"Shut-up Freddie…" Aura sighed with a smile.

"We aren't. We're just resting."

Outside of Mt. Moon, the man in the white dress suit noticed the giant explosion.

"Sir…" A grunt reported to him. "The mission was a failure sir. Subject 4 did exactly as you predicted sir, and blew up the Super Moon Stone…"

"Of course he did…" The man said as he sat down and pulled out a board with the map of the Kanto region on it.

He moved some markers clearly meant to represent Hue and Aura to Cerulean City.

"Now we let the other players play….We'll be ready for when they inevitably track us down again." He moved an NTR Grunt to a small town on the map labelled Lavender Town.

"Oh yes, We'll be ready…."


	13. Cerulean City Pokemon Contest!

Chapter 13:

Cerulean City Pokemon Contest!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Squirtle): Water Gun, Withdraw, Tackle, Bubble

Ace(Pidgey): Mud-Slap, Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Flame Wheel

?(Ralts): Growl, ?, ?, ?

Hue lifted his pokedex to his newly hatched pokemon. "The hell is this?" He asked Dean,

"[Ralts]." Dean replied. "The [Feeling] Pokemon."

"It's male…" Aura pointed to the blue male symbol on Hue's pokedex.

"Yes, I know." Hue said as he nervously moved away from Aura.

"What's wrong?" Aura asked, confused. "I just want to see the pokedex… I didn't know that yours could identify pokemon not from the Kanto region…"

Hue gulped.

Trying to avoid Aura noticing his pokedex had been modified was why he had backed up in the first place.

He didn't want Aura to find out he had met with the leader of NTR...She would flip out, and Hue wasn't in the mood for another trip into Mt. Moon again.

"I-It's a gift from Officer Jenny…" Hue lied as he allowed Aura to look at his pokedex again. "In case any foreign pokemon are used to commit any crimes…Now let's listen to what Dean has to say...Again Dean."

"[Ralts], The [Feeling] Pokemon. It can use the horns on its head to read human emotions. Ralts rarely shows itself to humans, but may occasionally approach if it senses positive or happy feelings."

"Sensing human emotions?" Aura asked. "Sounds like a good lie-detector. Perfect for a detective like you, Huey!" She chimed.

"What about pokemon?" Hue inquired. "Can ralts sense their emotions too?"

"A Ralts is highly attuned to the emotions of people and pokemon, but it hides if it senses any hostility." Dean informed Hue and Aura

"Meaning...It will run away from wild pokemon battles…"Aura said. "And possibly the pokemon of other trainers…"

"I can still work with him." Hue said as he picked up his Ralts, just happy that his friggin egg had finally hatched.

"So little guy...let's give you a name!"

"Raaaaalllllts." The Ralts yawned.

"How about Arthur? That sound good?"

"Ralts…" The Ralts yawned again.

Guess that's good enough…

"Now...To find out the moves Arthur knows…." Aura pressed a button on Hue's pokedex. "As well as his ability…"

"Arthur." Dean stated. "Species: Ralts, Ability: Trace, Moves: Growl, Confusion, Double Team, Teleport."

"Did it just say Teleport?" Hue asked.

"Ralts!" Arthur saluted as it teleported out of Hue's arms and into Freddie's.

"O-oh...Hello little buddy!" Freddie laughed nervously.

"Hey Hue…." He called. "Your Ralts is over here!"

As Hue went to retrieve the Ralts. Freddie took him aside.

"So um…." Freddie gritted his teeth. "What are we going to do about... _him_?" He tilted his head to where a still handcuffed Morren Rex was sitting at a camping table that had been set up for the four of them.

"Karen's already left for Pewter...And I'm pretty sure that Davon took off after her…" Freddie announced. "So, what do we do with this guy?"

"Cheer him up." Hue said with a shrug as he took Arthur out of Freddie's arms. "Otherwise he'll scare Arthur."

"Ralts…" Arthur nodded, as if to say that he agreed with Hue.

As the four of them entered Cerulean City, Aura's eyes lit up.

"Huey, look!" She tugged on his jacket sleeve as she pointed towards a grandiose building.

"Pokemon Contest Hall…." Hue read aloud.

"What's a Pokemon Contest?"

"Only one of the most exciting things to watch ever!" Aura hummed. "Come on! We should watch one!"

"But….We should get to the gym first…" Hue mumbled.

He wanted a badge more than he wanted to see whatever a pokemon contest was.

"What about...the Taste of Cerulean Festival?" Freddie asked.

Oh yeah, that's right.

Freddie was in Cerulean for some sort of cooking festival…

"That's not for another week." Aura rolled her eyes. "Contest, come on!"

"But...the gym…" Hue said.

"It'll still be there afterwards." Aura's eyes began to shoot daggers. "We're going to check out the contest hall. Now."

"Can I...be let out now?" Morren asked. He was still in handcuffs.

"Not until I find an officer to foist you off onto." Hue said.

"What's all this about officers?" a voice asked from behind them.

Hue turned around.

It was...that one blonde girl from Pewter…

"You're the girl that Davon beat in the Pewter Tournament right?" Hue asked.

"Cherry Devonshire." The girl confirmed.

"Hue…" Morren whispered. "Who is she?"

"Don't ask me…" Hue whispered back. "She competed in a tournament in pewter city. She and her Meowth made it to the final round of the tournament."

"She's really pretty…" Morren whispered.

"Cherry…" The other girl from Pewter walked up to Cherry. "We're going to be late if we don't hur-." She stopped as she took notice of Hue and Aura. She looked directly at Hue with her mismatched eyes. One was blue, and one was green.

"You were in the Pewter tournament that we competed in." She said. "You lost, and you dropped out right afterwards…"

"A little embarrassing to remember…" Hue scratched his head. "But yeah, that's us. I'm Hue Swanson."

"Aura Jones." Aura curtseyed.

"I couldn't care less who you are." The husky faced girl said. "I don't remember the names of weak trainers."

Perhaps a normal trainer would have only gotten slightly upset at that remark, but for Hue...for Hue it was something he couldn't ignore.

The reason he become a strainer was to become strong enough to protect others.

If this bitch was going to call him weak, he'd make her see that he wasn't!

"Then, how about a battle?" Hue asked. "We're already looking each other in the eye, so you have to oblige!"

"Ugh…" The girl with the mismatched eyes sighed. She flicked her pink highlight back behind her ear.

"I've already wasted enough time talking to you. I'm busy. I have a contest to perform in. Unless you want to wait until tomorrow, I suggest you enter it too if you want to battle me…"

She started to walk towards the contest hall.

"You shouldn't battle her." Cherry warned as she followed suit. "From your pitiful display at the tournament, you don't stand a chance against Twilight."

"So her name's Twilight…" Hue said. He turned to Aura.

"Aura, we're signing up for that Contest!"

"S-signing up?" Aura asked, for the first time ever actually giving off a legitimately shy vibe.

"I-I don't think I'm quite ready to go up on stage like that...I mean…"

"I'll sign up with you." Freddie shrugged with a half smile.

"You will?" Morren asked, dumbfounded.

"You _will_?" Hue asked, equally dumbfounded.

"I'm a Professional Chef…" Freddie said with a bow. "I often do public cooking. I'm sure I can handle crowd pleasing entertainment…"

"I...I guess I'll sign up for it then…" Aura said. "B-but...you all have to promise to not laugh at what I end up wearing on stage…"

"Aura, you wear hakamas as your everyday clothes…" Hue chuckled. "If we aren't laughing at them, we won't laugh at whatever you wear while performing."

"What about me?" Morren asked.

"Hmm...This is a problem…" Hue said. "We can't let you out of your cuffs….I guess we have to hand you off to an officer first."

After handing Morren over to the nearest patrolman, Hue, Aura, and Freddie all double timed it towards the concert hall.

When they got to the counter….

Hue skidded to a halt.

"You're here too?" He asked, in disbelief.

Turning around to face him was Ethel Ross.

"Oh...Hello Hue." She said with her monotone expressions and voice. "I didn't expect you to be signing up for this as well...Perhaps we will get our one on one battle after all…"

"Umm...About that…" Hue said with a nervous laugh. "Do you mind explaining the rules of a Pokemon Contest to me?"

"Very well." Ethel nodded.

Hue detected a hint of eagerness in her voice. It sounded like she was very happy to be explaining this.

"Follow me." She said as she twirled around in her white skirt and began walking towards the stage.

"This is where the event takes place. It's known as a Contest Hall. The contestants, that's us, are known as Pokemon Coordinators."

"Coordinators...got it…" Hue said as he began to take some notes.

"The goal of pokemon contests is to appeal to judges and the audience." Ethel continued. "The winner of a contest is awarded a ribbon as a prize."

"So...ribbons are like the Badges of the contest world…" Freddie said.

"That's correct." Ethel confirmed. "Although, Coordinators only need Five ribbons to participate in the Grand Festival."

"Which is like the contest version of the Pokemon League Tournament!" Aura chimed in. "And the winner of the Grand Festival is given the title of Top Coordinator! Just like how Pokemon League Champion is given to trainers who win the Pokemon League Tournament!"

"Aura is correct." Ethel said. "Now Hue, ask anything you want…"

"Yeah...um...what do you _do_?"

"Well...rules vary from region to region...So I'll explain the Kanto region's rules for pokemon contests. The contests are divided into two separate rounds, or 'stages'. The first round is called the Performance Stage. All coordinators participate by using a single one of their pokemon and they attempt to appeal their pokemon to the audience and the judges by showing off various moves and routines. The judges will then choose a number of coordinators to move onto the next stage. Those that are not chosen will be out of the contest."

"So, public appeal and appearance of your pokemon is paramount to going far in the contest." Hue said.

"Indeed." Ethel nodded. " In fact, it is even _more_ important in the second stage: The Battle Stage."

"Battle Stage?" Hue asked confused.

"Coordinators are first and foremost, pokemon trainers." Ethel said. "The Battle Stage is built much like a small tournament during which coordinators use their pokemon in one on one battles against other coordinators while continuing to show off their pokemon's style and skill. These battles only last for five minutes maximum, and should the time run up, the coordinator with the most points remaining will be awarded victory."

"But you can still use force right?" Hue asked.

"You _can_ …" Ethel nodded. "After all, if a pokemon is unable to battle, victory goes to the other trainer...but the important thing to pay attention to is the amount of points you have. They are removed if any moves you try to pull off don't appeal to the audience or the judges, if your opponent uses a particularly appealing move, and I'm sure you get the gist of it by now."

"Jeez, if stylish is the name of the game in a contest...I think I might be in over my head…"

"Just think of it as a chance to learn about more pokemon…" Ethel said as she let a small laugh escape her stoic exterior.

"Any other questions?"

"Yeah….The two stages...I'm allowed to switch the pokemon I use in between them right?"

"In Kanto, you are allowed to switch yes." Ethel nodded.

"In Kanto?" Aura asked. "Is there a different rule elsewhere?"

"In Hoenn, coordinators must use the same pokemon for both stages of the contest." Ethel explained. "And in Sinnoh, sometimes a Double-battle format for the Battle Stage is used, which allows for all manner of either switching or not switching. Here in Kanto though, it's very straightforward. One pokemon per Stage."

"Got it." Hue said. "Thanks a millions Ethel. I guess we'll go s-"

"Hold on." Aura raised her hand. "I have a question for Ethel."

"What is it?" Ethel asked, surprised.

"Your Egg from Pewter City…" Aura said. "Was the pokemon that hatched from the egg native to a region other than Kanto?"

"You'll find out soon enough." Ethel said. "I plan to use that pokemon in the Performance Stage. The audience loves seeing exotic pokemon after all."

"Alright then…" Aura said.

Hue found himself wondering what was going though Aura's mind.

She had that 'look' again…

Hue was unsure whether he'd actually commit to being a coordinator or not, but he wouldn't rest until he proved that Twilight bitch wrong!

It was kind of a win-win, since Aura clearly wanted to do this, but was nervous about it. with Hue participating too, she wasn't alone in it.

Freddie's willingness to sign up was...unexpected, but the more the merrier in Hue's book.

The coordinators' waiting room was so freaking crowded…

"Hue?" Hue heard Freddie's voice call. "Hue, dude, you here at all?"

"Yeah, I'm here!" Hue said as he plowed his way towards Freddie's voice.

The two of them united with each other near a monitor.

"How many people are competing?" Hue asked.

"32 coordinators…" Freddie said. "And out of them only 4 will be chosen by the judges to move onto the Battle Stage…"

Hue counted on his fingers.

Him...Aura,..Freddie...Ethel...Twilight...Cherry…

That was six.

That was two more than four.

Someone was going to be upset very shortly…

"Where's Aura?" Hue asked. He wanted to at least see what she meant by 'don't laugh'...

"And now, the Performance Stage of the competition will begin!" The monitors said.

"Let's introduce our first coordinator! Please put your hands together for Aura Jones!"

The crowd cheered as Aura took the stage.

Hue looked up at the monitor, and his jaw dropped.

Aura had her long black hair curled, and was dressed in a gorgeous bright red kimono with a black floral pattern.

She looked….Beautiful...

"Koko, let's go!" Aura called as she sent out Koko the Beedrill.

"Use Swordsdance Koko!" Aura said as she and Koko began to elegantly dance to what sounded like traditional Johto music…

"Aura and Beedrill are dancing!" The announcer said. "The judges and the audience seem to like it!"

"Now, Koko," Aura said. "Use Tailwind and keep up with Swordsdancing!"

"Drill!" Koko buzzed.

The wind being created by Koko's tailwind not only sped up their dance, but made them appear all the more elegant.

"Now…" Aura threw two sewing needles at Koko. "Twineedle!"

"Drill!" Koko hit both the needles expertly with the Twineedle at the same time.

"Fury Attack on the needles!" Aura exclaimed. "And remember to continue with Swords Dance and Tailwind!"

"Drilll! Beeedrilll!" Koko said as she continued to hit the two needles all over the place.

The more she did, the more Hue noticed that...there was thread attached to those needles!

Aura and Koko finished simultaneously in front of the completed tapestry...of a Beedrill pollinating a flower.

The crowd went wild.

"Well that's quite the opening act!" The announcer said. "Good job, Aura, go back down to the coordinators room for a well earned rest!"

As Aura entered the coordinator's room, she was met with many envious stares.

"Jeez…" She said as she rejoined Hue and Freddie, still in her kimono and with her hair curled.

"You'd think I killed someone with the stares I'm getting…"

"They might as well just hand you the ribbon now…" Freddie joked. "Not many beedrills can weave a tapestry that quickly…"

"Well, That's why I caught Koko anyway…." Aura said. "She used to use String Shot to make tapestries, but she lost that move when she evolved to help a little _someone_ I know out of a jam…"

Aura looked Hue's way.

"H-Huey?" She asked as she tilted her head. "You okay?"

Hue couldn't really talk.

He just stood there.

"Huey…." She waved a hand in front of his face.

"HUE!" Freddie shouted in Hue's ear.

"Agh, fuck…" Hue covered his ear.

"Oh hey…" Aura pointed. "That Twilight girl is up now…"

"Go!" Twilight yelled as she threw a pokeball. "Arbok!"

An Arbok slithered out of Twilight's pokeball.

"Use Acid Spray towards the ceiling!"

Arbok shot a spray of green acid upright, showering itself in it on the way down, with its stomach markings remaining untouched.

The audience was cheering. Arbok was appealing in a different kind of style than Aura's Beedrill, but it was still appealing quite well.

"Now Arbok, show them your Wrap attack!" Twilight yelled as she launched a steel oil drum at her Arbok.

"Arrrrbok!" The Arbok twisted its body around the shield, and crushed it in mid air with a single squeeze from its Wrap attack, before landing heading towards the ground.

"And now Dig!" Twilight yelled as Arbok burrowed into the ground.

"Wait for it….." Twilight told the audience as she took out a flute and began to play a tune.

Much like a Snake-Charmer's snake, the Arbok emerged from the hole it had just created, dancing to Twilight's music.

The crowd went wild again.

"Alright Arbok…" Twilight said. "Let's finish this off…"

She tossed her flute in the air.

"With a Screech!"

Arbok jumped into the air and caught Twilight's flute, and blew into it….playing the exact tune that Twilight had just played, with no errors.

The crowd freaking lost it.

A snake was playing the flute, of course they would…

Twilight and Arbok both took a bow.

"Well that's just great…" Hue said. "How am I supposed to outperform _that_?"

"You don't need to outperform it…" Freddie said. "You just need to outperform 28 other people…"

"Freddie, you'll be up soon!" One of the stage managers called.

Freddie shrugged and left Hue and Aura alone in the room.  
Well, other people were there but they weren't going anywhere near Aura after her performance set the bar so high.

"It's Ethel up on stage!" Aura pointed.

Hue looked up at the monitor.

Ethel was about to use the pokemon she had hatched from her egg in Pewter City…

"Ethel Ross everyone!" The announcer said. Before Ethel even sent out her pokemon the crowd erupted into a frenzy.

"Well...that's odd…" Hue said. "She hasn't even sent out the pokemon yet."

"Do you really not know why they're cheering for her already?" Aura asked, with a sly smile.

"I didn't think you were _that_ oblivious."

"Wait you mean you _do_ know why?" Hue asked.

"Oh finally." Aura sighed. "You aren't just staring into space and you can talk to me. Yes, I do know why, but if Ethel hasn't told you herself, then...I won't either. That'll be your punishment for not saying anything like 'great job out there, Aura.' to me."

"You did do a very great job." Hue said, doing his best not to look at her.

He'd forget how to talk if he looked at her while she was still dressed like that…

"I found myself speechless for the whole thing. I can't believed you were embarrassed…"

"Well it's just…." Aura bit her nail and looked away. "I'd always wanted to do something like that since I was little...I must have looked like a goofy kid up there…"

"You looked great up there, Aura." Hue said. "Everyone really loved your performance, myself included. You shouldn't be so quick to dismiss the things you want to do as stuff that others will laugh at."

"You laughed when I said I wanted to catch a Jigglypuff…"

"That's because it was way out of left field, But this….this is something I would expect you to like. It's all about showing off, after all." Hue snickered.

"Hey." Aura playfully socked him in the shoulder. "Shut up. Ethel's performing."

"What the heck is that?" Hue asked shocked as he took out his pokedex.

It was a pale serpentine pokemon, using water and mist moves to its advantage, and it seemed to have the audience incredibly excited.

"[Milotic]." Dean announced. "The [Tender] Pokemon. The evolved form of Feebas, Milotic is said to be the most beautiful of all pokemon and is quite skilled in battle. Milotic able to soften human anger and hatred by emitting soothing frequencies from its body."

"Milotic is singing to the audience through the Mist, and using Flash to illuminate itself! All while creating such rainy weather all around the stage!" The announcer said. "It's creating the perfect blend of elegant, mysterious, and powerful!"

That was going to be the hardest one to beat yet...

"Wow…." Aura said as Freddie took the stage and began to dazzle everyone as he had his Ghastly create various food dishes in midair, appealing to the audience and judges' hunger.

Of course he was doing that….

Hue had to give Freddie credit...If _he_ was a judge, Freddie would have just rocketed to the top of the list with that food...

"Hue, you're up after the next coordinator…" One of the stage managers said. "Come on."

As Hue said goodbye to Aura, and headed down the hallway, Freddie came down heading towards the waiting room.

"Did you see?" He asked excitedly.

"Yeah I saw...You've got this in the bag!" Hue said as he put his hand on his stomach.

"Here." Freddie handed Hue a sandwich. "Eat it quickly, before that blonde girl, Cherry, finishes her performance."

"Cherry's performing right now?" Hue asked. He scarfed his sandwich down and rushed to backstage so he could see what she was doing.

She was using….her Meowth again…

It was...playing with a laser pointer...and doing a bunch of flips in the air…

"Awww!" The audience would repeatedly say.

Occasionally, Cherry would throw a yarn ball out that the Meowth would shred to bits with a Fury Swipes.

It was definitely appealing to the audience in a much different way than the other pokemon Hue had seen so far had been appealing.

It was at that particular moment that Hue realized something important.

He had absolutely no clue what to do.

He didn't have a performance ready or anything…

Even if he _did_ , it was clear that everyone else had at least _practiced_ their performance…

Hue gulped.

"And now, for our next coordinator...Hue Swanson!" The announcer said.

Hue walked out onto the stage.

He needed something and quick.

 _The audience loves seeing exotic pokemon, after all…_

Ethel's words rang through his head.

That was it! That could be Hue's ticket out of this mess…

"Arthur, I choose you!" Hue yelled as he sent out his Ralts.

"Ralllts!" Arthur called as he appeared in front of the crowd.

The crowd went wild. After all, seeing a rare pokemon was fun for everyone.

Hue could use this to his advantage.

Arthur could pick up on happiness and positive emotions after all.

"Arthur!" Hue said, "Double Team!"

"Ralts, Ralts!" Arthur multiplied himself.

The crowd cheered even more.

"Now…Confusion!"  
Arthur and all his copies used Confusion on each other, creating a floating ring of Ralts.

"Now one by one use Teleport, and Growl in ascending pitch as you stand on top of each other!"

"Ralts…." Do

"Ralts…." Re

"Ralts…." Mi

"Ralts…." Fa

"Ralts…." So

"Ralts…." La

"Ralts…." Ti

"Raaaaaaalts!" Do

The Real Arthur was the one on the bottom. Hue knew that.

"Now Arthur, say goodbye to your friends with a Growl for each of them, and then finish with a goodbye to the audience!"

As Arthur growled goodbye to his copies, he did so in descending pitch.

Do "Ralts."

Ti "Ralts."

La "Ralts."

So "Ralts."

Fa "Ralts."

Mi "Ralts."

Re "Ralts."

And the low Do…

"Raaaaaaaaalts…." Arthur yelled at the audience, which erupted into applause at how adorable Hue was able to make the little guy…

Hue was so pleased, he almost didn't notice the pinkish-purple notes and sound waves that had appeared in the air when Arthur had called out to the audience...

It might not have been as good as Aura's dance, at least in Hue's mind, but he still thought that he did a great job of showing off what Arthur could do, and that was what contests were all about.

"That was amazing, Huey!" Aura said as Hue entered the room and noticed that she had reverted back to her hakama and her black hair was no longer curled. "But that move at the end…"

"Was it bad?" Freddie asked. "I liked it…"

"No...It was good but...That wasn't a Growl…".

"[Disarming Voice]." Dean informed Hue. "A [Fairy] type move."

"Disarming Voice was the same move that Ethel's Milotic was using to sing to the audience…" Aura said. "In battle, the move is almost a guaranteed hit on its target."

"Well, if nothing else comes out of this...at least Arthur learned a new move…" Hue said.

"Hey, that's the spirit!" Aura said.

"And..I've also got our dinner." Freddie shrugged as he took out some more sandwiches.

"And I got to do my dance…" Aura said happily.

Hue smiled. Everyone seemed to have already decided that, move on or not, they had fun participating.

It was a welcome change of pace from the seriousness that Hue had been putting up with for the past week.

"May I have your attention?" The announcer asked from the monitors. She was alone on the stage.

"All of you coordinators have been a pleasure to watch for our audience. If it was up to them, you would all get ribbons today, but only one ribbon is available, and only 4 coordinators can move on to the Battle Stage! The Judges have made their decisions, so please direct your eyes to the monitor to see the lucky 4 trainers that will get to move on to the Battle Stage of the contest!"

Everyone looked at the monitor.

Lots of gasps rang out.

And a bunch of exaggerated sighs…

Trainers began to leave the waiting room one by one, grumbling about how they'll 'do better next time.'

As for Hue...

Hue couldn't believe his eyes...


	14. Cerulean Contest Finals! VS Vulpix!

Chapter 14:

Cerulean Contest Finals! VS Vulpix!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Squirtle): Water Gun, Withdraw, Tackle, Bubble

Ace(Pidgey): Mud-Slap, Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Flame Wheel

Arthur(Ralts): Confusion, Double Team, Teleport, Disarming Voice

Hue couldn't believe what he was looking at…

There was the portrait of each coordinator moving on…

Along with their score.

The first surprise was Ethel's perfect 30. (A 10 from each of the three judges…)

Hue had thought Ethel's performance was great, but he didn't think it was something deserving of a _perfect_ score….There must be some story behind this…

Heck she was a full 5 points ahead of the coordinator in 2nd place…

Wait…

Hue did a double take.

That was _his_ picture up there!

"Whoa!" He exclaimed. How the heck did he manage to do that?

"I think it might be the props…" Aura said. "You and Ethel both didn't use any props whatsoever. The rest of the coordinators did. Heck, even that kid with a Snorlax used a pillow…Because it was all about the pokemon, you probably scored some extra points from the judges."

"I….see…" Hue said. He looked on.

To be honest, he hadn't really expected to make it to the Battle Stage.

Finally...Finally he could give Douglas a battle again.

Hue had lately been focusing on Ace and Gumshoe.

Douglas's last battle was against Diane back in the Viridian Forest…

If Arthur was just showing off in the Performance Stage, Douglas was a great candidate for Battle Stage…

Taking the third spot in the competition was Cherry, who seemed to have won over the hearts of the audience with her Meowth.

Ethel had 30 points.

Hue had 25.

Cherry had 24.

Finally...with 22 points….

 _Aura Jones_.

"Hahahahaha! _Yes_!" Hue let out a boisterous laugh. Twilight had apparently not made the cut. "Take that Husky-girl!" He celebrated. Twilight was probably feeling pretty stupid now! Hue beat her at her own game, and he was doing nothing but bullshitting his way through the Performance Stage.

Hue gasped.

How good would he do if he _practiced_ performing?

"Yeah, that's what I thought." Freddie shrugged.

"The quickest way to man's heart is his stomach, but the quickest way to a ribbon is to show off a pokemon's style, and not just what they can cook…"

"You'll route for me right?" Hue asked.

"Course." Freddie said as he held out his own lunch. "I want both of you to make it to the finals and give me a good show!"

"During which, you'll route for Hue. Because he's not going to win and could use some support." Aura chimed.

"You should watch what you say…" Hue said. "After all, _you're_ the one that barely made it to the Battle Stage…."

"Attention please!" The announcer said as she stood alone on the stage. "The Battle Stage matchups have been decided! Remaining Coordinators, take a look at the tournament bracket!"

Hue looked for his name…

And froze.

Hue VS Aura.

He and Aura looked at each other.

They had hoped that they'd meet in the finals but….

"Hrm…." Freddie said looking at the monitor. "I'm glad I don't have to put up with _that_."

"Good luck Huey…" Aura said with a serious expression on her face.

"Because I am _not_ going to pull any punches."

"I wouldn't want you to." Hue said, hoping to high heaven that she wasn't picking up on how nervous he was.

"Good luck to you too."

Hue and Aura's match was in fact the second match of the first round of the battle stage, so they had some time.

The first round would be Ethel against Cherry.

Hue wondered what pokemon Ethel would be using…

ETHEL VS CHERRY

Hue and Aura had to wait in separate waiting rooms while Ethel and Cherry battled on stage, but Hue was still able to watch on this new waiting room's monitor.

"Now we're going to begin the Battle Stage of the contest!" The announcer announced. "For this first match, we have Ethel Ross competing against Cherry Devonshire!"

"You've got this Ethel!" Hue cheered at the screen.

"Coordinators, both of you be sure to give us a good show. Send out your pokemon because your five minutes of battle starts…. _Now!_ "

A countdown clock began to count down from 5 minutes.

On another screen, portraits of Ethel and Cherry appeared, with what looked like some sort of health bar under their portraits.

That must have been their remaining points.

"Go, Sandshrew!" Cherry called as she sent out a Sandshrew.

Hue pointed his pokedex towards the small rodent pokemon on the screen.

"[Sandshrew]." Dean informed him. "The [Mouse] Pokemon. Sandshrew hates moisture and lives in holes it digs in dry places. It protects itself by curling into a ball."

"Hrm…" Hue grumbled to himself.

"Vulpix, assistance!" Ethel called as she sent out her pokemon.

Hue's pokedex scanned over Ethel's Vulpix.

"[Vulpix]. The [Fox] Pokemon. Its six tails are extremely beautiful. As it evolves it grows even more tails. Vulpix uses powerful flame attacks."

"A fire type for Ethel and a ground type for Cherry, huh…" Hue said to himself.

This worked out well. No matter who won, he would have the type advantage in the finals if he could beat Aura with Douglas.

"Vulpix, Ember!" Ethel called as the red fox pokemon shot small flames from its mouth towards the Sandshrew.

"Defense Curl!" Cherry called as the Sandshrew curled up into a ball, taking the ember attack like it was nothing.

Hue noticed Ethel's points bar go down.

"Now, Rollout!" Cherry called. "Use the flames to make it look better!"

As Sandshrew began rolling towards Vulpix, cloaked in the Vulpix's own flames, Ethel's points bar went down again.

"Vulpix, Fire Spin." Ethel said, appearing unconcerned.

"Vulpix!"

Suddenly the flames that had been cloaking the Sandshrew stopped, and began to actually _cloak_ the Sandshrew.

"Shrrreeeewwwwww!" It wailed as the flames dug into its underbelly.

Hue noticed that Cherry was losing points now.

"Urgh...Sandshrew, Dig to get out of there!" Cherry called.

Sandshrew quickly burrowed under the stage.

"Vulpix, turn that Fire Spin into a Will-o-Wisp." Ethel stated.

As Vulpix beautifully cleared the ball of fire out of the way by turning it into Will-o-Wisp, The crowd began to cheer and Cherry's points went down again, while Ethel's own bar was brought back up a little bit.

"Now Sandshrew, attack the Vulpix!" Cherry yelled.

"Shreeewww!" Her Sandshrew screeched as it dug straight up into Ethel's Vulpix.

Causing Ethel's points to go down again.  
"How unfortunate for you…" Cherry said. "You were too busy showing off to dodge the attack…"

"I wouldn't be so sure." Ethel said, still without showing any signs of stress or emotions.

"Would you look at that folks?" The announcer said as she pointed upwards and Hue saw exactly what she meant. "It appears that Vulpix has used Extrasensory on itself in order to float into the air and dodge Sandshrew's attack!"

Ethel's points once again increased, while Cherry's took another step down.

"Sandshrew, we can afford to let that Vulpix beat us!" Cherry called.

"Use Poison Sting!"

"Sannnnddddd….Shreeeeeewwwwwww!" The Sandshrew yelled as it shot various white strands of Poison Sting towards the floating Vulpix.

"Vulpix…" Ethel said, keeping her cool. "Turn around while floating and use Fire Spin to shield yourself."

"Vullllll…." The small little fox began spinning while creating flames to cloak itself, as though it was taking a page right out of Cherry's Sandshrew's book for using flames to enhance performance.

The Poison Sting was being reflected away as Ethel's Vulpix slowly lowered itself, before finally striking a pose as it disposed of its flames.

Bzzzzzzzzt.

"Time's up everyone." The announcer said. "Now let's look at the scoreboard to see who moves on to the next round!"

It wasn't even close.

Ethel was the clear winner of the round. Of course she was.

As Hue was led to the stage for his own battle, Ethel was being led back into the waiting room that he was just in.

"Great job out there!" Hue said.

Ethel looked at him directly in his eyes. "I'll be rooting for you in your match. Don't disappoint me."

Hue wasn't sure whether to be happy that he had someone rooting for him, or to be nervous because of Ethel's warning to not disappoint her.

"Hey wait…" Hue said.

He needed to clarify something really quickly.

"Why was the crowd cheering for you before you even sent out your pokemon?" He asked. "It seems as though everyone seems to know who you are...why is that?"

Ethel sighed.

"Hue, I want your honest opinion. What do you think of me?"

Hue blushed.

"Ummm...I'm not sure what you mean by that…."

"As a person Hue." Ethel rolled her eyes.

"Well, you seem nice to me…" Hue shrugged. "You act sort of apathetic towards most other people…" He continued. "But I'd still consider you a friend of mine…"

"When you hear my name, what's the first thing you think of?"

"Probably your hair." Hue shrugged. "I don't know many girls with long white hair like yours. That and the time we met when you were recovering from a poisonpowder…"

Ethel let out a giggle.

"I'm glad. Most people don't even think about me when they hear my name. They think about my mother."

"You know, you're a lot more relaxed when you talk to me alone." Hue observed.

"Am I?" Ethel asked. "You could probably thank my mother for that as well."

"Sounds like you've got a lot to say about her." Hue said.

"Hue…" One of the stage managers called. "Come on!"

"I'll tell you more about it after the contest if you'd like." Ethel gave a small smile. "But you really should get going. Your friend isn't going to lose to herself, you know."

With that, Ethel continued down the hallway.

"Hue!" The stage manager raised his voice.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!"

AURA VS HUE

Finally...Finally Hue was going to have his rematch with Aura…

It wasn't exactly a battle-battle but Hue was going to take what he could get.

"Coordinators, send out your pokemon, because the countdown starts... _Now_!" The announcer yelled as Hue and Aura each sent out their pokemon.

"This is all you buddy!" Hue said to Douglas, who jumped down from atop his head.

"Purin, let's show Huey what a contest battle is all about!" Aura chimed as she sent out her…

 _Not Jigglypuff_ …

Hue quickly took out his pokedex.

"[Wigglytuff]." Dean stated. "The [Balloon] Pokemon. Its body is full of elasticity. By inhaling deeply, it can continue to inflate itself without limit."

"That's Purin?" Hue asked confused.

"Weren't you paying attention?" Aura asked. "Purin was one of the pokemon that would be affected by the Super Moon Stone regardless of whether we destroyed it or not. That's how Jigglypuffs evolve after all."

"And you still sent him out to help despite that. I guess that means you wanted him to evolve huh?"

"Look at you, mr. detective, solving the little mystery…" Aura smirked. "That ability of yours won't help you now! Purin, use Double-Slap!"

"Wigglyyyyy!" Purin chimed as he charged for Douglas and proceeded to bitch-slap the shit out of Hue's Squirtle.

"Squirt! Squirt! Squirt!" As Douglas took each hit, Hue's points bar went down.

"Douglas! Withdraw and use Bubble!" Hue yelled. "Use the multiple hits to your advantage!"

"Squirtle!" Douglas affirmed as he tucked himself into his shell, and as Purin continued to hit him around, Douglas blew bubbles all throughout the stage.

"Woooooo!" The crowd in the audience cheered.

"Urgh…" Aura said as she noticed her points bar go down, and Hue's go up. "Purin, use Disarming Voice to pop all the bubbles!" She called.

"Wigglytuff!" Purin squealed as all the bubbles popped creating small rainbows throughout the stadium.

"Awwwwww!" The audience swooned as Aura's points bar rose while Hue's diminished.

"Douglas!" Hue called. "Use water gun while Purin is popping the bubbles! Aim directly at his mouth!"

" _What_?" Aura asked, in disbelief. "Don't you realize what that'll do?"

Hue remained silent. He was taking a bit of a risk, and didn't want Aura to catch on.

Douglas did as he was told, and shot a Water Gun straight at Purin's mouth.

"Purin, inflate as you catch the attack!" Aura yelled.

"Wigggggggggg" Purin inflated to a large, then giant, then enormous size as Douglas pumped him full of water.

As this happened. Aura's points rose, and Hue's points dwindled.

"Alright Douglas, now let's show Aura why she and Purin should learn to swallow their food before taking more! Tackle him right in his giant target of a stomach!"  
"Squirtle!" Douglas rammed straight into Purin, who began to fly all over the stadium, spewing water everywhere he flew.

Hue looked at the point bars.

His risk had paid off.

"We have a winner!" The announcer said. "Hue has successfully drained Aura of her point bar! So he will go on to the finals against Ethel!"

Hue could hardly believe what he was hearing.

The the hell had he made it this friggin far?

He looked out into the crowd and saw Freddie cheering, and he wasn't alone.

Sitting next to him, even though he should have been handed off to a policeman, was Morren Rex.

"We made it to the finals, buddy…" Hue said to Douglas with a smile. "All we need to do is defeat Ethel and her Vulpix, and we've got a special ribbon!"  
"It may not be as easy as you think…" Aura said as she entered the waiting room.

"And congratulations on beating Purin, though to be honest, even with his evolution, he's still my most inexperienced pokemon. That was technically his first battle under my care after all. We'll be rooting for you in the finals."

"Why won't it be easy?"

"This is Ethel we're talking about." Aura said. "You were lucky when you battled her with me back in Viridian. Back then she was relying on paralysis to defeat you, but she miscalculated. You can bet all your pokeyen that she won't make that mistake again."

Hue gulped.

Aura _did_ seem to have a point.

Still though, he had the type advantage. If he was lucky, he could end this quickly…

ETHEL VS HUE

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for our contest finalists! Ethel Ross, and Hue Swanson, as they compete for the one, the only, Cerulean Ribbon!"

"I don't intend to lose." Ethel said as she held out her pokeball. "I apologize Hue, but here, and now, I shall crush you with every last bit of my power!"

"Coordinators…" The announcer said. "Send out your pokemon. The countdown starts... _Now_!"

"Vulpix, Fire Spin!" Ethel yelled right away as she sent out her Vulpix.

Damn, she really wasn't going to pull any punches.

"Pix!" Vulpix called as it shot a spiral of fire towards Douglas.

"Douglas, counter it with Bubble!" Hue called back.

"Squir….tletletle!" Douglas blew a bunch of Bubbles at Ethel's Vulpix.

As the bubbles went through the flames, the flames dispersed and the bubbles popped, and rainbows appeared around the stage.

Both Ethel's and Hue's point bars went down a bit.

"Now Vulpix, Will-o-Wisp!" Ethel called as she pointed.

Strange ghost like fires shot from the Vulpix's tail were surrounding Douglas.

"Douglas, don't let those things hit your skin, Withdraw!" Hue said.

Douglas Withdrew into his shell just as the wisps ambushed him.

Again, both Hue and Ethel lost points.

"Now Vulpix, Extrasensory!" Ethel yelled as her Vulpix's eyes began to glow, and Douglas was lifted up into the air, still in his shell.

"Douglas, use Water Gun to create a fountain!" Hue yelled.

"Squirtle…." Douglas shot water down from the openings in his shell, creating a floating Squirtle fountain in the stage.

"Wooo!" The crowd cheered, Hue gained some points while Ethel lost some.  
"Vulpix, Ember on the water!" Ethel yelled.

"Vullll!" Vulpix shot small flames out of its mouth at the water falling from Douglas's shell, creating a bunch of steam, and causing very similar visual effects to the ones she was using with her Milotic in the performance round.

"Wooo!" The crowd cheered as Ethel's points bar rose and Hue's fell.

"Now Vulpix!" Ethel yelled. "Use Extrasensory to slam that Squirtle into the ground!"

Urgh, this was bad!

Hue had to do something to avoid Douglas being slammed into the ground!

"Douglas!" Hue yelled. He didn't know what he could do to save Douglas, or his points bar…

But...It wasn't over. Hue had beaten Ethel using a miracle before.

He'd just have to do it again!

"You can do it Douglas!" Hue yelled.

As Vulpix slammed Douglas into the stage, an explosion of dust covered the area, making it hard for everyone to see.

When the dust finally cleared,

Douglas was doing what appeared to be breakdancing.

The crowd cheered and erupted into laughter.

"You've got be kidding me!" Ethel exclaimed surprised. "That Squirtle just had to learn Rapid Spin _now_?"

"[Rapid Spin]." Dean stated. "A [Normal] Type move. A high speed spin attack that can also eliminate such moves as Bind, Wrap, Leech Seed, and Spikes."

"And apparently capable of softening that blow!" Hue said confidently, though he was really just praising Arceus for allowing such a miracle to occur.

Ethel's point bar diminished.

For a split second, Ethel looked like she was going to blow her stack, but then let out a familiar sigh, and gave a smile and a nod.

"Of course this happened…" She said.

Bzzzzzzzzzzzt.

"Time's Up!" The announcer said. "Let's look at the results of our final match!"

Hue felt like he could be crowned mayor of Pallet Town at any moment.

It was ever so slight, but somehow he had managed to do it.

He had defeated Ethel.

As he took the ribbon from the announcer, and thanked her with a smile, he looked out into the audience and held it up.

This ribbon would go on the inside of his jacket just like his badges...Only his ribbons would go on the other inner flap.

"Congratulations, Hue." Ethel said as she walked up to him and held out her hand. "I guess you'll be competing in these from now on, huh…"

"It _does_ seem like a waste to just stop at one ribbon…" Hue admitted as he shook Ethel's hand.

"And thanks for that great final battle! I'm glad it was you up there."

"Then I suppose…" Ethel said as she twirled around to leave revealing that on her right hand she had one ribbon already, and she was using two more as her earrings. "I'll have to fight you in both the League _and_ the Grand Festival. Ciao."  
"Hey wait a sec!" Hue ran after her. "You said you'd tell me about your-..."

"Not here." Ethel shook her head. "If we're ever alone again, please remind me. But...I'm sorry. I can't with so many people around."

Hue shrugged and gave a sigh. "Well, that's okay I guess. I'll see you around then."

"But of course." Ethel curtseyed, though in a much more...sincere...manner than the way Aura usually curtseyed. "Ciao."

"So that's a ribbon down, huh?" Aura asked. "Well, I hope you don't mind some extra competition!"

"Oh, you can't mean-" Freddie rolled his eyes.

"I'm sorry Huey, but you managed to beat me and that is simply unacceptable." Aura chimed.

"I'm going to be training day and night so that I can get all five of my ribbons before you!"

"Of course you are." Hue laughed.

"Ummm…." Morren tried to speak up.

"So we should probably head to the Pokemon Center." Aura said. "It'll be good to sleep in an actual bed for once again."

"I second that motion." Freddie nodded. "I'll take bottom bunk, Hue will take top, and Aura will sleep in the other bed."

"Sorry." Aura shook her head. "But Huey and I are bunk-bed buddies. You're the odd man out."

"I can't believe you two are having an argument about where we'll sleep when we need to focus on more important things." Hue said.

"Thank you." Morren said.

"We need to figure out where the gym in this town is." Hue continued.

"Argh, guys, I'm right here!" Morren whined. "I have important news about the gym leader…"

This caught everyone's attention.

"Morren?" Hue asked. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be...in jail?"

"I gave up my uniform and all the information I had on me, and I was free to go." Morren said. "I thought I'd ask the local gym leader to train me for a little bit but…."

Morren led Hue, Aura, and Freddie to the Gym.

He pointed at a sign.

"Leader At Cerulean Cape."

"So?" Hue asked. "Let's just all go get her…"

"Well…." Morren scratched his head.

"The thing is…..Cerulean Cape…."

"I'll handle this." Freddie said to Morren. He turned to Hue. "Cerulean Cape is a bit of a tourist attraction. It only accepts people in pairs."

"Then, can you take him?" Hue asked. "Aura and I need to heal our pokemon. We'll catch up with you afterwards."

"I…." Freddie stuttered for a little bit. "I s-suppose I could take him, yes…."

Morren gulped as he and Freddie headed towards Cerulean Cape.

Aura gave Hue a strange look. He couldn't determine what exactly was strange about it, but it seemed...wary...

"What?" Hue asked.

Aura bit her nail and looked away.

"Nothing."


	15. Cerulean Cape

Chapter 15:

Cerulean Cape

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Squirtle): Water Gun, Withdraw, Bubble, Rapid Spin

Ace(Pidgey): Mud-Slap, Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Flame Wheel

Arthur(Ralts): Confusion, Double Team, Teleport, Disarming Voice

"Are...you sure about this?" Aura asked as she and Hue walked towards the gate on Nugget Bridge.

"We can't just let Morren and Freddie go in there alone…" Hue said. "Besides, we ought to schedule some battles with the gym leader."

"Okay….." Aura said.

Hue wondered what was going on. Everyone seemed to be acting weird about heading north towards the cape. He didn't quite understand it.

Apparently you had to enter the cape in pairs.

Perhaps it was a battleground or something?

"Are you here as a pair?" The guard at the gate asked.

"Yeah." Hue said as he handed 100 pokeyen over to the guard.

"Alright you two, have fun up there!"

The guard handed a small booklet to each of them.

"Try to see if you can spot all the pokemon on this booklet!"

"Hue…." Aura spoke up as the two of them walked through the beautiful fields. "Are you absolutely sure that this is okay that we're here like this?"

"Of course I'm sure!" Hue said. "Did you forget what we were?"

" _What_?" Aura asked, for whatever reason getting incredibly flustered.

"We're partners!" Hue answered his own question.

Aura put her hand on her heart and gave a sigh.

"Oh, that's what you meant…."

"But we're definitely more than just partners."

" _What_?" Aura asked, getting flustered all over again.

"I'd like to think we're friends too!" Hue smiled.

Aura was not amused.

For a second Hue thought she might slap him…

"Ugh…" She sighed. "Huey, you're too oblivious for your own good…"

"Where's Freddie and Morren?" Hue asked, looking around.

"You make a good point." Aura agreed. "They shouldn't have gone too far. We did say we'd catch up to them…"

"There they are!" Hue finally found them.

"And-...oh. Maybe we shouldn't unite just yet." He said.

"Wait _what_?" Aura raised an eyebrow as she hurried to Hue's side and looked where he was pointing.

" _Oh_ ….They're just battling."

"It looks like Morren's going to get his training in after all." Hue said. "Let's wait until they're done before we unite with them."

"So why the sudden battle?" Aura asked as she and Hue reunited with Freddie and Morren.

"Well…." Freddie and Morren looked at each other.

Morren looked at Hue in the eyes. "The gym leader is... _occupied_."

"What, is she battling someone else right now? Shouldn't she be at the gym?"

"She's not battling anyone…." Freddie said. "But Hue...I strongly recommend you just wait until she's done…"

"In that case…." Hue said, turning to Aura. "Are there any pokemon in that booklet that you want to catch?"

"There is _one_ …." Aura said. "But….I'm not sure I want to take up your time with it while we're here…"

"Oh, don't be like that!" Hue said. "It isn't like there's anything else for us to do here…"

"Pfffft…." Freddie tried his hardest not to laugh.

"Hue….you don't know what Cerulean Cape is, do you?" Morren correctly guessed.

"Well...no…" Hue said as he put his hand behind his head and let out a nervous laugh. "But so far it feels like a park of sorts…"

"You didn't tell him?" Freddie asked Aura.

"I tried to…" She sighed. "It's not my fault that he's an idiot."

"So...what is it?" Hue asked.

"Oh no no no." Freddie smiled. "It's so much more entertaining for me that you don't have any idea what Cerulean Cape is supposed to be. Come on Morren, let's get out of here before anyone sees us and gets the wrong idea."

"Sounds like a plan." Morren said. He turned to Hue. "I hope you realize what you're doing before someone gets the wrong idea."

"There are so many pokemon you can find here…" Hue said. "And you want a _Psyduck_?"

"Is that so wrong?" Aura asked. "Yes. I want a Psyduck."

"Alright…" Hue took out his pokedex and flipped through the research on Psyduck.

"Apparently this thing will always have a headache, and on occasion it will use powerful psychic powers, but won't be able to remember having done so afterwards. I'm not quite sure how to go about confronting this...I guess use Purin? It's the only pokemon in your arsenal that isn't weak against any of a Psyduck's attacks."

"Thanks…" Aura said as she readied Karakara's pokeball, completely ignoring Hue's advice. "But I just wanted to know about it. I already have a plan."

Once a Psyduck emerged, Aura's plan went into action.

Karakara threw her club, hitting the Psyduck square in the back of the head.

When it turned around it's eyes were glowing, and Karakara began to float upwards.

"Alright Karakara, Endure!" Aura yelled.

Psyduck slammed Karakara into the ground, creating a huge noise that caused a nearby flock of Pidgey to fly away.

"Holy shit!" Hue exclaimed as the dust cleared, and Karakara was still standing, albeit barely.

The Psyduck's eyes returned to normal, and it looked around, incredibly puzzled.

"Now, time for the pokeball!" Aura yelled as she tossed a pokeball.

"Welcome to the team, Kodu!" Aura chimed as she picked up the pokeball now containing a psyduck.

"I'm sure he's happy to be on the team." Hue said.

Aura gave Hue a stern look. "It's a _she_ , Huey." She said.

Dammit! Again? That was the like, third time this had happened!

"Alright…" Aura said as she put the pokeball away. "Are there any that you want to catch?"

"I don't know…" Hue said as he and Aura walked towards the end of the Cape.

He flipped through the booklet. "Most of these pokemon are water types, and I've already got Douglas...Unless I see something that convinces me that it can do things that Douglas can't I'd rather not catch any-..." Hue stopped in his sentence.

"Huey...what is it?" Aura asked as she noticed that Hue had stopped walking.

Hue pointed towards the water.

It was hard to see, but…

"There's something out on the water…" Hue said.  
"Yeah, you're right…." Aura agreed. "Is it a pokemon?"

"I don't know…" Hue quietly stated.

The pokemon then began to run, as if running on the lake, away from them. It seemed to have four legs.

"That's a pokemon, Huey!" Aura said. "Quick! Use your pokedex!"

Hue quickly took Dean out and scanned the pokemon's silhouette.

"[Suicune]." Dean stated. "The [Aurora] Pokemon. It travels the world and purifies water wherever it goes, sailing on the North Wind."

"That's….Suicune?" Hue asked.

"Suicune is regarded as one of the three legendary beasts of the Johto region." Dean stated.

"We saw a Suicune?" Aura asked. "That's amazing! Most trainers go their whole lives without seeing any legendary pokemon! That's how rare they are. And some are incredibly powerful."

"Well, that was a nice little sight." Hue smiled.

Finally, Hue and Aura came across the woman that Hue could only assume was the gym leader.

"She's...with someone…" Hue said.

"Of course she is." Aura rolled her eyes. "We have to go to Cerulean Cape in pairs you know."

"Well, i don't care if she's still busy." Hue said. "We've done literally everything there is to do here."

Aura bit her nail and looked away. "Maybe we should wait...just a little longer?"

"No. I want a battle. It's my turn to be the first challenger too. Remember?"

Aura rolled her eyes.

"This was all for your sake, but if you're going to play hardball, I'm going to make sure you face the consequences of it. I'll come up there with you."

Hue didn't understand how that was bad thing, but he didn't have time for that.

"Hey!" He called to the woman who was clearly the gym leader.

"Are you Cassy? The Gym Leader of Cerulean? We both want you to get back to the gym ASAP for a few battles!"

"Cassy?" The man she was with asked her as they both turned around. "Do you know this couple?"

"I'm afraid I don't, Caiden…" Cassy said. "I _am_ a little curious though. What are your names, loves?"

"I'm Aura Jones." Aura said with a curtsey. "And Huey here is Hue Swanson."

"And you're here at Cerulean Cape together?"

"Well, yeah…" Hue said, still not understanding what the deal was.

"That's...so cute!" Cassy squealed. "Caiden, honey, look at them! They're adorable!"

"They sure are." Caiden nodded. "Not quite as adorable as you though."

"Awwww…"

"Oh...okay…" Hue whispered to Aura. "Maybe we _should_ go…."

"Nonsense!" Aura said, her dark green eyes flickering in the evening light. "We still need to get the gym leader to agree to battle us, Huey!"

"So tell me!" Cassy said. "How long have you two been a couple?"

If Hue had been drinking, he would have done a spit-take.

Luckily, he had Douglas on his head to Water Gun in surprise for him.

" _What_?" He asked, as he felt himself go red.

"You're here at Cerulean Cape together right?" Cassy confirmed. "You do know that this is Cerulean's greatest destination for dates, don't you?"

Before Hue could even say no, Aura took the metaphorical reigns of their side of the conversation from him.

"Of course we know that." She said.

Hue gave her a look, that he was sure asked "What are you doing?"

Aura returned a devilish grin as her piercing dark green eyes flickered some more.  
She returned a look that screamed. "You've brought this upon yourself."

"So..?" Cassy asked enthusiastically. "How long?"

"Huey tried to take me to the Pewter Museum a awhile ago, but stuff came up, so this is our first official date." Aura chimed.

Hue wasn't sure whether Aura was lying or not. Technically everything she said was true but…

It was a little out of context…

"We've been traveling together ever since Viridian City, when we learned that the gym leader there was absent from the town." She said.

"That's so cuuuuute!" Cassy squealed.

"So you'll give us a battle?" Hue asked, despairingly

Cassy looked away. "Caiden…"

"Cassy regrets to inform you…" Caiden said. "That she's booked with a bunch of battles for the rest of the week in order to free up her schedule for the cooking festival…"

"Aw come on! Isn't there any time sooner that we can use to battle?" Aura asked.

"I'm sorry…" Caiden said. "I wouldn't know."

"Alright then…" Aura was clearly acting, though she was doing a good job at looking disappointed.  
"Sorry Huey…" She said as she hooked arms with him. "Come on...let's go. I'm sorry that our date had to end like this…"

"Would you please stop acting like this was a planned outing?" Hue whispered. "You might dig us into a deeper hole than I put us in…"

"But...you _did_ plan it." Aura said with a sly smile. "Besides I'm busy scoring us a battle, watch."

Hue had many things to say in argument against this but...

"Wait!" Cassy called after them.

"Yes?" Aura turned around.

"Well...there...there is _one_ time I'd be free to battle...but…" She looked at Caiden. "Can you make time?"

"I suppose so, if it's for you." Caiden said.

"Yay!" Cassy squealed. "In that case…" She turned back to Aura and Hue.

"Both of you come by the gym tomorrow morning at around 8:00 am! That's the second the doors open! You guys can have a Double Battle date against Caiden and me!"

She grabbed onto Caiden's arm. "Eeeee!" She squealed. "I'm so excited for it!"

"I'm sure it will be a blast." Caiden nodded.

"Thank you so much!" Aura expressed as she curtseyed again.

"Come on Huey, honey, we have to go train!"

"The hell was that?" Hue asked, his face still red from that entire ordeal.

"Oh don't be such a baby about it." Aura said, feeling rather pleased with herself.

To be honest, Hue hadn't seen her this at ease in a long time.

"I got us a gym battle, and we never have to go back there again. Besides, you clearly liked it."

"Did I _look_ as though I liked it?" Hue asked, feeling relatively confident that he looked embarrassed and afraid the entire time.

Aura gave Hue a knowing look. " _You_ were the one that dragged me out there. And _you_ were the one that got Cassy's attention. Her misunderstanding is all because of _you_. I just used it to our advantage."

"Oh my Arceus…" Freddie mumbled from his bottom bunk.

"Morren, would you tell the lovebirds to shut up?"

"Ugh...shut up…" Morren snored from his top bunk.

"Dammit, we're not a couple!" Hue said.

"Huey's right guys." Aura said as she tucked herself into her bottom bunk with a sly smile.

"He just wants us to be."

"That's not-!"

Freddie sat upright, rather quickly.

"Shut up and go to sleep!" He said, adamantly before he flopped back down onto the bed.

Hue grumbled and got into his bunk.

Hopefully his battle with Cassy and Caiden would be able to clear up their misunderstanding…


	16. Confusing Gym Battle VS Cassy and Caiden

Chapter 16:

Confusing Gym Battle! VS Cassy and Caiden

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Squirtle): Water Gun, Withdraw, Bubble, Rapid Spin

Ace(Pidgey): Mud-Slap, Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Flame Wheel

Arthur(Ralts): Confusion, Double Team, Teleport, Disarming Voice

"Ah huuuhhhhh." Hue yawned as he stretched, waking up. Douglas was sleeping at the foot of his bed.

"Douglas…" He said quietly waking Douglas up.

"Squirtle?" Douglas asked.

"You ready?" Hue asked. "It's your first gym battle today!'

"Squirtle! Squirtle!" Douglas cheered.

"Oh, good, you're awake." Aura said as she walked into the room, brushing her long black hair. "Can you do me a favor and wait until after the battle to clear things up with Cassy and her boyfriend? I want to make sure that we get our badges first and foremost. We can't afford to be stuck in Cerulean for a whole week."

"I….I guess I can…." Hue said as he felt himself go red. "But...could you at least tone down the acting for the battle? It'll make it easier for me to focus…"

"Sure Huey…" Aura said. "I'll try to tone it down a bit, but no promises."

"Ugh." A still in bed Freddie moaned. "Skip this lovey stuff...Just go…."

"Gladly." Hue said as he jumped off the bed and left.

"Huey, don't forget your amazing partner!" Aura chimed as she followed him out of the room.

The Cerulean Gym was inside an aquarium.

Lots of Water type pokemon swam around in different exhibits.  
"I wonder what type _this_ gym uses…" Aura said with a grin.

Hue remained silent.

He was….unsure about how to act near her, to say the absolute least.

"Come on Huey, work with me here." She huffed. "I thought I told you not to be a big baby about this. It's only...pretend…right?" She asked.

"Why did you trail off there?" Hue asked. "Of course it is…"

He liked Aura.  
She was definitely one of his best friends, and she was very pretty but…

Hue wasn't quite sure if he really felt _that_ way about her.

He was mostly worried.

In movies and stories and tv shows, usually, when something pretend like this happens, one of the pretenders develops actual feelings...And the other one doesn't….

If he did get into the acting, would he be the one to develop those feelings?

"Then don't worry." Aura said with a shrug. "I'll make sure nothing gets too out of hand."

Hue didn't know why, but he was inclined to not believe her…

"Yay!" Cassy squealed as she ran up to Hue and Aura and brought them both up into a group hug. "You're both heeeerrrre!"

This didn't strike Hue as being very professional for a gym leader.

"Caiden, they're both here!" Cassy called.

"Alright." Caiden called back. "Bring them up! I'm sure they'll love the battlefield!"

"Hey Huey…" Aura whispered in Hue's ear as they followed Cassy down the hallway. "What do you think the battlefield will look like?"

"Probably a giant fish tank…" Hue said with a sigh.

Hue was, technically, correct.

The battlefield was a giant pool of water, with a floating circle in the center of it, and two floating triangular platforms.

The areas where the trainers on each side were supposed to stand were very clearly platforms meant for performers to stand on.

"This is a special area." Cassy explained. "It's normally used for Water Pokemon Shows here at the gym. It's the end of September right now, so the season for shows just closed, but we haven't completely cleaned out the area yet, so I let challengers battle me using this stage instead of the boring pool-like battlefield that we normally have to put up with."

"In other words…" Aura smirked. "This battlefield is unfamiliar to you as well."

"Well, that might be just a tad out of context." Caiden laughed. "Who do you think uses this area to perform with her water pokemon?"

Hue and Aura looked at each other, and then at Cassy.

"You?" Hue asked.

"Oh my, look's like the Meowth's out of the bag…" Cassy laughed. "It's no exaggeration to say that I know this stage like the back of my hand."

"In other words…" Hue said, looking at Aura. "She'll be _harder_ to defeat than normal."

"I'm so sorry, love." Aura said, batting her eyes. "I thought you _wanted_ a challenge. I guess I was wrong. You don't have to battle alongside me if you don't want to…"

Ugh. Dammit, she was right. Hue needed to be content with this or else he wouldn't get an opportunity to battle Cassy for a very long time.

"I'm sorry." Hue said with a sigh. "A little extra challenge should be no big deal."

"That's what I thought!" Aura beamed.

"This will be a 4 on 4 Double Battle." Caiden said as a referee climbed the ladder to another platform overlooking the battlefield. "Each trainer will use two pokemon, and have one pokemon out at all times. The match will be over when all of one side's pokemon are unable to continue battling. In addition, only you two, the challengers, are allowed to make substitutions."

"Of course, I also would like to know how many badges each of you have…" Cassy said. "It determines my two pokemon after all."

"We each have one badge." Aura said.

"Alrighty-o!" Cassy sang as she reached down and grabbed a pokeball. "I hope you two are ready!"

Aura grabbed Karakara's pokeball.

"Ready Huey?" She asked with a wink.

The fuck was she thinking, about to send a Cubone out?

"Ready." Hue said as he grabbed the pokeball of the pokemon he thought would be a good start-off.

"Battle...Start!" The ref called.

"Go, Karakara!" Aura yelled.

"Cubone!" Karakara landed on the triangle platform.

"Ace, I choose you!" Hue called.

"Pidgey!" Ace cooed as she flew around in the air.

"Goooo, Staryu!" Cassy chimed.

Staryu landed on the triangle platform opposite Karakara

"Goldeen!" Caiden called.

The Goldeen dove into the water of the giant tank of a battlefield.

Hue and Aura both took out their pokedexes.

"I'll scan Staryu." Aura said. "You scan Goldeen."

"Right." Hue nodded.

"[Goldeen]." Dean informed Hue. "The [Goldfish] Pokemon. Its tail fin billows like an elegant ballroom dress, giving it the nickname of the Water Queen."

"Huh…" Hue said. For some reason, it reminded him of Ethel…

Dean continued. "A strong swimmer, it is capable of swimming non-stop up fast streams at a steady speed of five knots."

Hue kicked himself right then. He had no clue how fast a knot was…

Apparently, Dean had one more thing to say…

"Goldeen loves swimming wild and free in rivers and ponds. If one of these pokemon is placed in an aquarium, it will shatter even the thickest glass with one ram of its horn and make its escape."

"But...this is an aquarium…" Hue said to Dean.

"Don't worry." Caiden called. "Goldeen won't break the tank. But she is going to be rather forceful. After all, the sooner the battle ends, the sooner she can leave the confined water area."

"What do you have about Staryu?" Hue asked Aura.

"Hit it in the red spot." Aura said, pointing at Staryu's red core. "It can naturally recover from damage anywhere else on its body."

"Alright!" Cassy sang. "Let's get things started, Caiden!"

"Right!" Caiden called. "Goldeen, use Supersonic!"

The Goldeen jumped out of the tank much faster than Hue expected.

"Gololololololdeeeeeen." It chimed as strange sound waves emanated throughout the area..  
"Uh-oh…" Aura said.

"Karakara, Bone Club on the Staryu!"

"Bone!" Karakara threw her bone up at Ace, who Hue thanked his lucky stars wasn't affected by Ground moves...

"Pid-gey!" Ace called to Karakara, upset.

"Bone...Cuuubooone…" Karakara continued to attack imaginary enemies.

"Sorry, Huey…." Aura said. "Looks like Karakara is confused thanks to that Supersonic…"

"Sounds like we need to get rid of the Goldeen then?" Hue asked with a smile.

"Yeah…" Aura said as she returned Karakara into her pokeball, to substitute her for..

"Fushi!" Aura called as she sent out the pokemon Hue was now glad she hadn't sent out first.

"Staryu, Water Gun at the Pidgey!" Cassy yelled. "Knock it out of the air!"

"Staryu." Staryu said as it shot a beam of water up at Ace.

"Ace, Quick Attack to dodge!" Hue called. "And follow it up with a Whirlwind! Get that Goldeen out of there!"

"Pid-gey!" Ace said as she dodged the Water Gun.

"Geeeeyyyyyy...Pidgey!" Ace cooed as she flapped her wings furiously, causing water to from the tank to splash all over the place, and for Goldeen to return to Caiden's pokeball.

"Huey, that was awesome!" Aura chimed. "I didn't know Ace knew Whirlwind!"

"Yeah, well, I never really had a chance to use it until now…" Hue laughed as he shrugged. "We'll need to put up with the Goldeen again though, so we should start coming up with a plan for it…"

"If you last long enough to battle Goldeen again…" Caiden said as he sent out his second pokemon.

"Go, Wartortle!"

"Tortle!" Wartortle said as it landed on the center platform.

Hue took out his pokedex. After all, he was responsible for Caiden's pokemon data.

"[Wartortle]." Dean read. "The [Turtle] Pokemon. The evolved form of Squirtle. It's long furry tail is a symbol of age and wisdom."

"That doesn't help me battle this thing at all!" Hue yelled as his useless piece of scrap metal.

"Fushi, let's get that pesky Wartortle out of the way with a Vine Whip!" Aura called.

"Staryu!" Cassy sang. "Intercept the Vine Whip and use Protect!"

"Staryu!" Staryou jumped in front of the Wartortle and used Protect, creating a green forcefield around it, and blocking Fushi's vine.

"Bulbasaur!" Fushi exclaimed in surprise.

"Ace, Quick Attack the Wartortle from its rear!" Hue called.

"Wartortle, intercept it with your own Protect!" Caiden called as Wartortle created another green forcefield, and knocked Ace back.

"Now!" both Cassy and Caiden yelled. "Water Pulse!"

"Fushi, use Growth and absorb the attack!" Aura yelled for Fushi in retaliation to Staryu's Water Pulse."

"Bulbaaaaa!"Fushi said as he grew in size and took the blast from the water pulse like a champion.

"Ace, use Gust to blow it away!" Hue called for Ace to blow the Wartortle's Water Pulse away.

"Pid-gey!" Ace cooed as she flapped her wings and created a Tornado which collided with the Water Pulse.

The two attacks were fighting each other for some time, but the Water Pulse was stronger and slammed right into Ace, knocking her down onto the center circular pad.

"Ace!" Hue called. "Can you still stand?"  
"Pid-gey!" Ace called out triumphantly as she started to... _heal herself_?

"That's Roost!" Aura said. "That's Roost!"

"Alright Ace, way to recover from that! Let's use the ground to our advantage, and Mud-Slap that Staryu, right in its core!"

"Pidgey!" Ace cooed as she skidded across the circular pad, and splashed some mud straight into the Staryu's red core in the center of its body.

"Staryu?" Cassy called. "Staryu can you see?"

"You shouldn't have done that…" Caiden said. "Wartortle, Skull Bash on the Pidgey!"

"Tortle!" Wartortle yelled as it slammed Ace into the water.

"Ace!" Hue called.

"Staryu can you see?"

"Fushi!" Aura called. "Now's your chance! Vine Whip the heck out of that Staryu while Caiden is busy with Ace!"

"Bulba!" Fushi called out as he let loose a barrage of Vine Whips upon the Staryu.

"Wartortle, that's enough!" Caiden said. "Get back to the surface!"

As Wartortle booked it back towards the circular platform, Hue noticed Ace.

"Ace is unable to battle!" The ref called.

"Ace, return!" Hue said. "You were amazing today." He said to her in her pokeball.

"Douglas, I choose you!" He called as he sent out his Squirtle straight into the water.

"Don't let Wartortle surface!"

"Squirtle!" Douglas saluted as it swam quickly towards the Wartortle.

"Did you forget what happened to the Pidgey?" Caiden asked. "Wartortle, use Skull bash on the Squirtle!"

"Tortle…."

"Fushi!" Aura yelled.

"Stop attacking Staryu and use your vines to pull Douglas out of there!"

"Saur!" Fushi nodded as he moved his vines and pulled Douglas up onto the circular platform.

"Bulba?" Fushi asked Douglas, as if to make sure that he was alright and unharmed.

"Squirtle…" Douglas scratched the back of his head with a thankful laugh.

"You aren't getting away that easily!" Caiden said.

"Wartortle, keep your Skull Bash coming!"

"Fushi!" Aura yelled. "Intercept it!"

"Aura, no don't!" Hue yelled at her.

"It's fine Huey." Aura winked.

"Remember last time?"

Last time?

As Hue turned to look at Fushi, he saw what Aura meant.

"Saur…" Fushi said to Douglas as he began to glow a bright light, and...grow…

Really Aura? Hue thought to himself. Again?

"Oooooooooohhhhhhh." Cassy said. "That's sooo coooool! An evolution!"

"Ivysaurrrr!" Fushi growled at the Wartortle.

Hue couldn't help it. Pokedext time.

"[Ivysaur]." Dean said. "The [Seed] Pokemon. Bulbasaur's evolved form. The bulb on its back absorbs nourishment and blooms into a large flower."

"It's actually only budding right now…" Hue said, looking at the bud on Fushi the Ivysaur.

"Fushi!" Aura yelled. "Counter Wartortle's Skull Bash with a Take Down attack!"

The two pokemon collided in the air, and Fushi sent the Wartortle flying towards the tank wall.

"Now, Fushi!" Aura called. "Bullet Seed that Wartortle out of its misery!"

"Ivy…Saurrrrrrr!" Fushi called as he shot a tremendous amount of Bullet Seeds at the Wartortle.

"Wartortle is unable to battle!" The ref called.

"Staryu, use Recover!" Cassy called.

"Hue!" Aura yelled at Hue.

"Oh, right!" Hue said.

"Douglas, Rapid Spin that Staryu into the wall before it can recover!"

"Squirtle...Squirt!" Douglas chanted as it rammed into Staryu just in time to stop the Recovery.

"Staryu is unable to battle." The ref called.  
"Great job Fushi!" Aura called to Fushi.

"Ivysaur!" Fushi smiled back at Aura.

"You too, Douglas!" Hue called. "Keep up the good work!"

"Go, Goldeen!' Caiden said as he sent out his Goldeen.

"Starmie, I choose you!" Cassy sang as she sent out….a bigger starfish than last time…

"I've got this one." Aura said as she took out her pokedex to scan the Starmie.

"Ok.." Aura said after reading through her pokedex. "In general, the idea remains the same. Hit it in the shiny spot. But...we don't want this thing in the water...It'll spin like a motor...and...we already have Goldeen to deal with…"

"I'll handle Goldeen.." Hue said. "You focus on not letting Starmie into the water."

"Got it..." Aura smiled mischievously. "Hue, Honey."

Hue rolled his eyes. He had to put up with it for now. Until he had his second badge in his possession.

"Douglas, into the water!" Hue yelled.

"Goldeen, use this to your advantage!" Caiden called. "Horn Attack the Squirtle on its way in!"

"Use Bubble like there's no tomorrow!" Hue called to Douglas, who was in the air.

"Squir...tletletletletletletletle!" Douglas shouted as he created a barrage of Bubbles, a few of which hit the Goldeen, but most of which were meant to make it hard to see Douglas in the water so that Hue could do what he wanted to.

"Now Douglas, Withdraw and rapid fire Water Gun to ram into Goldeen! See how _it_ likes it!"

"Squirrrrrrr." Douglas, cloaked in his bubbles, shot himself towards the Goldeen, and rammed into it.

"Goldeen, use Supersonic!" Caiden called.

"Golololololol!" The Golden sent out sound waves again.

Hue smirked.

"Seriously?" He asked. "Did you ever take physics? It takes sound longer to travel through liquids. Douglas can easily dodge the waves!"

Douglas proved as much my giving a giant and malicious grin to the Goldeen.

"Douglas, Bubble!" Hue called.

"Goldeen!" Caiden yelled.

Before Douglas could blow his bubbles…

"Starmie, Swift!" Cassy yelled as strange yellow star projectiles slammed into Douglas.

"It's hitting Fushi too!" Aura observed as other yellow stars were hitting Fushi.

"Douglas, get out of the water and get to Fushi!" Hue yelled.

"Goldeen!" Caiden called. "Jump out of the water and use Supersonic on the Ivysaur!"

"Goldeen!" Goldeen blubbed as it jumped out of the water.

"Fushi, Razor Leaf!" Aura called.

"Ivy-Saur!" Fushi yelled as he shot incredibly sharpened leaves at the Goldeen, knocking it onto the triangular pad closest to Cassy and Caiden.

"Goldeen is unable to battle!" The ref called.

"Ice Beam!" Cassy yelled as Starmie shot a beam of ice straight at Fushi.

"Fushi no!" Aura screamed in a shrill manner that Hue was not expecting.

It was too late.

"Ivysaur is unable to battle!" The ref stated.

The look on Aura's face said it plainly. She wasn't expecting that. If memory served Hue correctly, this was the first time Fushi had ever fainted in battle…

That was an understandable shock.

"Karakara…" Aura said, halfheartedly, as she sent Karakara back out, who was no longer confused thanks to the time she spent in her pokeball.

"A Squirtle and a Cubone against my Starmie?" Cassy asked. "Your pokemon are adorable but there is no way you actually think that."

"It's okay…" Aura said, looking down.

Hue wondered what had her all upset.

"I suppose it's about time I called it quits here anyway."

"The hell are you talking about?" Hue asked.

"We have the numbers on her! We can win!"

" _You_ can win…" Aura said. "But Karakara's probably going to bite the bucket soon with _that_ thing throwing Ice Beams everywhere." Aura gave a sad smile. "Have Douglas jump in the water."

"Aura, wait a second…" Hue said, trying to get Aura to return to her usual self, even if it was aggravating, at least she never acted this depressed...

"Bone." Karkara pointed for Douglas to jump into the water.

"Sq-Squirtle…" Douglas seemed to be doing the same thing Hue was doing.

"Karakra, use Pe-"

"Aura, I forbid you from using that move!" Hue said as he played the Phoenix Wright Objection theme from his pokedex.

"I've been traveling with you because I always thought you were a strong trainer who could find creative solutions to problems that seemed impossible!"

Oh god, Hue was going to kick himself for doing this later but right now what mattered was putting Aura's heart back into the battle.

"I'm helping you catch the pokemon you want to catch, and I'm even participating in contests with you. And even when it seems like you can't win, and even when you _don't_ win. You never let it get the best of you! You told me that training is all about teaching and learning, so now is a perfect learning opportunity!"

"Huey…" Aura looked up at him.

"We challenged this gym together as boyfriend and girlfriend" Hue continued. "So we're going to beat this gym together as boyfriend and girlfriend."

Hue canceled his Objection Music and gave one final, regrettable, shout.

"Well, you are my girlfriend aren't you?!" He asked, against his much better judgement.

"Huey!" Aura's eyes shined brightly. She wiped where some tears had started to well up and gave a nod.

Hue moved on to play the Unlimited Corners theme with his pokedex.

"Oh, now that's touching…" Cassy said, understandably a little upset that her boyfriend was no longer in the battle. "But it won't help you! Starmie, Water Pulse on Karakara!"

"Karakara, End-"

"No need for that!" Hue said.

"Douglas! You know what to do! Intercept it!"

"Squirtle!" Douglas said as he lunged in front of Karakara, and took the Water Pulse.

"Send it right back!" Hue called.

"Huey, I'm touched..." Aura said "But Douglas doesn't know that move!"

"He will in five seconds." Hue said with a grin.

"Squirtle!" Douglas winked at Karakara.

"Bone?" Karakara asked as Douglas began to glow a bright white light and grow in size.

"I really ought to thank you for having Caiden come in and battle us with you, Cassy." Hue said. "It's thanks to him that I have an understanding of how Wartortles work in battle!"

"Warrrrtortle!" Douglas bellowed as he got his color back.

"And I learned that trick from you, Aura." Hue said with a smile.

He turned. "Now Douglas, Water Pulse it back!"

"Warrrr!" Douglas yelled as he blasted the Water Pulse back at the Starmie, and it began spinning around on the platform almost like it was drunk.

"Water Pulse's secondary ability." Hue said. "I had a feeling that confusion was going to be your main tactic this battle. What better way to cause infighting? It looks like it's backfired."

"Who are you and what have you done with the awkward incompetent Huey?' Aura asked.  
"I _am_ the awkward incompetent Huey." Hue said..

"And I _just_ realized what I just said…I'm too focused on the battle to concentrate on that though. Now's the perfect chance to strike, right Douglas?"

"Warrrrtortle!" Douglas gave an affirming salute to Hue.

"Bone! Cubone!" Karakara gave a similar salute to Aura.

"Alright then, Karakara!" Aura yelled. "Headbutt!"

"Cuuuuu….Bone!" Karkara yelled as she charged into the Starmie, staggering it back towards Douglas.

"Douglas, Bite it!" Hue called.

"Tortle!" Douglas said as he chomped down on one of the Starmie's legs.

"Now, Rapid Spin and toss it towards Karakara like a discus!"

"Karakara, get ready." Aura yelled.

"Now!" Hue said.

Douglas let go of Starmie and it flew towards Karakara.

"Bone Club!" Aura yelled.

"Cu...Bone!" Karakara said as she swung her bone and hit the Starmie like a baseball so far that the ref had to duck and let the Starmie crash into the wall behind him.

"Starmie is unable to battle!" The ref called.

"Which means the winners of the match are Wartortle and Cubone, which means victory goes to the challengers, Hue and Aura!"

"Yay! We did hit Huey!" Aura yelled as she jumped on him and gave him a hug.

"Wartortle!"

"Cubone!"

Douglas and Karakara both looked rather pleased with themselves as well. Douglas went to hug Karakara, but was greeted with a bonk to the head, although it was a little harder for Karakara to reach his head now…

"Congratulations." Cassy said as she and Caiden met with Aura and Hue outside of the Gym.

"You both did a splendid job, and are more than deserving of these."

She handed Hue and Aura each a badge that was shaped like a water droplet.

"This is the Cascade Badge." She said. "It serves as proof of your victory here at the Cerulean City Gym."

"Be sure to make it far in the pokemon league for us, you two." Caiden said with a smile and a nod.

"Ooooh!" Cassy put her hands together excitedly and looked at Caiden. "Imagine if they're the two finalists! The lovers overcoming all odds and making it to the finals, oooh maybe it could be like the Poke-Games where they both-!"

"Were not-..." Hue tried to say before Caiden stopped him.  
"Of course you are." He said. "You said so yourself in the battle."

"It's...a bit of a secret though." Aura said, finally fulfilling her promise to keep this shit from getting any worse. "So please don't tell anyone. We'll announce it when we're ready you know?"

"Oh, I know." Caiden said as he looked at Cassy. "It took her two months before she let me announce anything."

And with that, Cassy and Caiden went back into their gym.

"Thanks for keeping your end of the deal and making sure things didn't get even more out of hand…" Hue said to Aura.

He honestly didn't think she would go through with it for whatever reason.

"Of course Huey." She said.

She bit her nail and looked away for a bit, before sighing and turning to look at him dead in the eyes.

"And...thanks for the talk you gave me during that battle…" She said, almost guiltily.

"That...that was the first time Fushi had ever fainted... and it was after he evolved no less. I...I guess I should learn to practice what I preach huh."

"Yeah probably." Hue joked.

Aura gave him a playful nudge.

"You didn't have to use the fake relationship to get me going again though." She said. "You might have gone just a little overboard."

"I-I was just focusing on the battle, and doing what I thought made the most sense in the given situation." Hue defended himself. "Besides…"

He looked away as he said it.

"I thought I told you earlier that I didn't want to see you sad either. Come on. Let's put this whole ordeal behind us and never talk about it again."

Hue waited for an answer…

He expected her to either say something like, "Sure, Huey, sorry we had to go through all that." Or alternatively, "I'm going to use this to extort you until the day I die."

He figured it was about a 50/50 shot.

Instead...there was this silence for a while.

The hell was she doing?

Hue turned his head slightly.

"Au-" He stopped midsentence as Aura planted a kiss on his cheek.

"No need to panic Huey." She said as she noticed that Hue had been frozen in place by the action. "That's just a thank you for the talk you gave me." She said calmly.

"Uh-huh…" Hue mustered.

He was freaking out inside though.

A _girl_ had just kissed him.

A _pretty_ girl had just kissed him.

"Now, let's forget any of this ever happened." She said as she hopped along. "And never speak of this again…."

Hue then noticed the tell tale mischievous piercing gaze of her dark green eyes. "Unless," She grinned. "You _really_ want to."

"Wha?" Hue put his hands up in exaggeration as Aura skipped away laughing.

"What makes you think I'd _want_ to?"

"Oh, don't act like you weren't just freaking out with excitement just now!" Aura chided.

"I wasn't!" Hue lied.

He and Aura continued this argument all the way to the pokemon center.

"What the?" Hue wondered allowed as he and Aura walked into their room in the Pokemon Center to see that only Morren was present.

"Where's Freddie?"

"He's setting up for the Cooking Contest…" Morren said. "It's been moved up to tomorrow. He got a notice about it just a while ago and left me here. It's 11:30. Where have you guys been all morning?"

"That battle took up the entire morning?" Aura asked in disbelief.

"By the way Morren…" Hue said. "Cassy says she's booked with gym battles for the next two weeks at least. She can't take you on as an apprentice right now."

"Oh." Morren said.

He looked away and scratched his chin.

"Well...I was actually thinking…"

He got onto his knees and begged.

"I want to become a detective like you, please show me how!" Morren pleaded.

"Um...I'm a bit of a...special case…" Hue said, backing away from him.

"You knew I was the one who took the Moon Stone!" Morren said. "I couldn't believe you caught that! I want to be able to do what you do! My working for NTR ruined my life, and doing what you do can help me get it back on track!"

"Well, I'd have to run into a mystery to solve first…" Hue nervously laughed.

"Hey Huey…" Aura said. "If Freddie's Cooking Festival is tomorrow, maybe we could stay in Cerulean for it!"

"I don't know…" Hue said. "Between the gyms and contests, we have a lot on our plate, and we weren't planning to even spend _this_ much time in Cerulean City. That contest took us by surprise."

"Well, then the least we can do is help Freddie set up the area." She said.

Dark, piercing green eyes told Hue that we was not going to win this argument.

As Hue, Aura, and Morren all arrived at the plaza where Freddie was supposed to be, according to Morren, they didn't see anyone.

"That's odd." Morren said. "He should be here."

"Morren?" Freddie's voice called. "Get Hue!"

"I'm here, Freddie!" Hue called back.

"I'm here too!" Aura called.

"Oh thank Arceus!" Freddie's voice said. "Hue, get over here! I need you desperately right now! Do you see the shed that looks burnt? I'm in there!"

"What am I, a Basculin?" Aura asked sarcastically as Hue led everyone towards the burnt shed.

"Don't be surprised." Freddie said as Hue opened the door.

Freddie was handcuffed by the Officer Jenny of Cerulean City.

A small squad of police was investigating the shed.

Freddie's Charmeleon was out, and also in cuffs.

It had a muzzle on to prevent any fire attacks.

Everyone was standing over what looked to be a dead body.

"Hue...help me out here…" Freddie said.

"What's going on Officer?" Hue asked Officer Jenny as he showed her Gumshoe's pokeball. "What are you doing with my friend and his pokemon?"

Officer Jenny sighed.

"I'm sorry kid, but your friend and his pokemon are under arrest for the murder of the man you see before you."

"Hue, help me out here!" Freddie repeated. "I didn't do this!"

"Looks like you'll get your wish after all Morren." Hue mumbled.

"What?" Morren asked, before realizing what Hue had said. "Wait, really?" He asked, excitedly.

Hue turned to Aura. "Aura… It looks like we've got ourselves another case!"


	17. The Case Of The Cooked Corpse!

Chapter 17:

The Case Of The Cooked Corpse!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Withdraw, Rapid Spin, Bite, Water Pulse

Ace(Pidgey): Mud-Slap, Gust, Quick Attack, Roost

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Flame Wheel

Arhtur(Ralts): Confusion, Double Team, Teleport, Disarming Voice

"Look kid…" The Officer Jenny said. "I don't care if one of my relatives loaned you their pokemon or something, but don't go around-"

"I'm official." Aura said seriously. "Now, if I may ask, are there any detectives on this case right now?"

"Well...no…"  
"Then we call dibs. Dibs."

"I'm sorry _what_?" Officer Jenny asked with a bit of a laugh. "You can't…'call dibs' on leading an investigation…"

"Oh yeah?" Aura said with a smile. "I just did. Dibs."

"This case doesn't need a detective." Officer Jenny said.

"Well, at least humor me with the details…" Hue said as he fiddled with his pokedex to start playing the Phoenix Wright Investigation theme.

"You love that thing don't you?" Aura asked with a coy smile.

"It comes in handy sometimes…" Hue admitted.

"Ahem. Very well…" Officer Jenny cleared her throat.

"It's an open and shut situation here. This man was burnt to death between the hours of 9:00 to 11:00. The only people to enter the shed during that time were the victim and Freddie here. Furthermore, the Charmeleon has been out of its pokeball all day since Freddie woke up according to what he's told us. It's the only thing that could have caused the fire.'

"And who _is_ the victim?" Hue asked.

"The victim's name is Ernest Cohen. He was scheduled to participate in the cooking contest, just like Freddie. The two of them were in the area and decided to set up for the contest which had been rushed up to tomorrow. It's no secret among frequenters of these competitions that Freddie and Ernest were longstanding rivals, and that for the last three cooking contests in a row, Ernest has defeated Freddie in judging."

"So….What?" Morren asked.  
"She's saying that on top of the _means_ to kill Ernest Cohen…" Aura said as Hue began to think. "Freddie also had a clear _motive_."

"Means and motive…" Hue mumbled. "Is that really true? Could _his_ Charmeleon really have been the cause of this fire?"

"While I'm willing to grant that we havn't fully investigated the _cause_ of the fire yet, what we _do_ have is _decisive_ evidence to suggest that Freddie's Charmeleon is behind the murder of Ernest Cohen."

"About him…" Hue said. He pointed to the charred corpse. "The face has been completely burnt off. How can we be sure that it's Ernest?"  
"Because of this." Officer Jenny held up a pokedex, giving detailed descriptions of Ernest Cohen. "This was found on the victim's body."

"Any prints?" Aura asked as she walked up to the body and examined a hand.

"Prints?" Morren asked.

"Fingerprints." Hue told Morren. "She's asking if there were any fingerprints found on the pokedex."

"Well, there was a single set of fingerprints found on the pokedex." Officer Jenny said. "They match the fingerprints of Ernest Cohen."

"But what about the victim?" Aura asked.

"Unfortunately…" Officer Jenny said. "The fingerprints on the victim's hands have been burnt off. But, the pokedex was found inside the victim's pocket and seemed to be slightly affected by the fire along with the rest of the victim. There was no way anyone could have placed the pokedex there after the fire."

"Alright…" Hue nodded. "Um... _why_ do you believe it was Freddie's Charmeleon again?"

"Because of the _wounds_ discovered on the victim." Officer Jenny said as she led Hue and Morren over to where Aura already was.

"He's been slashed." She said. "Really badly, in multiple places."

"Charmeleon dig their claws into their prey and try to rip them up." Officer Jenny said. "Your pokedexes will state as much."

"Hmmm…." Hue noticed something looking through his pokedex info on Charmeleon.

"Aura, other than the obvious burns from the shed fire, are there any burns near bruises on the victim's body?"

"Yes." Aura said. "There's one big bruise right on his stomach. It's almost like he was hit with a-"

"There is no doubt about it." Hue said. "A Charmeleon was behind this. That is _exactly_ how they kill their prey…"

"Hue! Don't help them incriminate me!" Freddie called.

"Relax Freddie." Hue said. "First off, I doubt it was your Charmeleon. And second...it's glaringly inconsistent with the order of events."

"What are you talking about?" Morren asked. "What's inconsistent about it?"

"He already told you." Aura said. "The order of events. You know, what happened when."

"Aura found the burn marks and bruises on the corpse, despite the corpse having been recently caught in a fire which _should_ have distorted it." Hue explained.

"Furthermore, the slashes are clearly visible despite the fact that they should have been caught in the fire as well." Aura chimed in.

"So Officer Jenny…" Hue said. "Was it the fire? Or the wounds that killed Ernest? Until we know that, I think a detective's investigation is warranted."

"Alright…" Officer Jenny sighed. "I'll let you look at what we've got so far…" She turned to Aura and Morren.

"But _only_ him."

"oh, Huey's actually my partner so…" Aura waltzed up. "Dibs."

"What about me?" Morren asked Hue.

"I don't know." Hue shrugged. "You'll just have to pay attention to what we say afterwards."

"Morren!" Freddie said. "You could do me a huge favor."

"What?" Morren asked.

"Can you continue to set up for the cooking contest? No one's doing that right now. The plans should be-"

"Unfortunately the set-up plans are evidence for this investigation." Officer Jenny said as she handed Hue a copy of them.

For the most part it looked like normal set up plans, detailing where booths would be and who would sit at each booth.

"Here's Ernest Cohen's booth…" Hue said pointing. "It's the one near the bicycle shop."

"And...on the opposite side...here's Freddie's booth." Aura said pointing. "It's near…"

"What is that?" Hue asked. "Something….shed?"

"It's talking about this shed." Officer Jenny said. "Geographically, the blueprints are correct if this shed is the one in question."

"Yeah, but what is this shed for?" Aura asked.  
"Good question." Hue said. "I was going to ask it as well."

"Well, the shed is used to store oil and gasoline." Officer Jenny said. "Even a small fire, like Ember, could set the thing ablaze."

"Alright…" Hue said, nodding. "Anything else?"

"We found _this_ near Freddie's booth." Officer Jenny said as she held up what looked like…

"Are these _plans_ for the crime?" Hue asked, almost with a laugh.

"Yes they are. And they even have Freddie's fingerprints on them." Officer Jenny said seriously.

"I think you can see that-."

"There is no way that Freddie is the culprit." Hue said, with his eyes closed. Mainly because if he opened them, they'd be moving around really fast again, and it sort of hurt when that happened. Both physically and mentally.

"To me, it sounds like whoever is behind this murder has a strong grudge against Freddie. I mean, look how far away Ernest's booth is from Freddie's! At what point would Ernest need to go into the Oil Shed?"

"What are you suggesting?" Officer Jenny asked.

"Gumshoe!" Hue sent out his Growlithe.

"Use Odor Sleuth and take a whiff of Ernest's pokedex for me, would you?"

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe nodded as it sniffed around Ernest's pokedex.

"Grrrrrrrr…." Gumshoe began to growl.

"Growlithe!" He barked as he began to track the scent.  
"Aura!" Hue said as Gumshoe left the shed. "Follow Gumshoe, and make sure, above all else, that he comes back safely!"

Hue turned to Morren. "Morren, let's go over what we've learned so far."

Ernest Cohen and Freddie Franks are rival cooks, and Ernest has won against Freddie in their last three cooking competitions.

The cause of death is unknown, but it appears that a Charmeleon attacked the victim at some point post-shed fire.

The cause of the fire is also unknown, but lack of matches or other material evidence suggests a pokemon move caused the fire.

The burnt shed is an oil and gasoline shed, which could easily ignite with the smallest flames.

The closest booth to the scene of the crime is Freddie's booth.

Ernest's booth is nowhere near Freddie's.

Plans detailing the luring of Ernest Cohen into the shed, and setting the shed on fire were found near Freddie's both. Freddie's fingerprints were found on them.

The victim is unidentifiable other than the pokedex he had on him.

The victim's fingerprints appear to have been burnt off in the fire.

The only fingerprints on the pokedex found on the victim belong to Ernest Cohen.

When Gumshoe sniffed the pokedex for the scent, he acted agitated, and then ran out of the shed.

"I...am so lost right now…" Morrens said. "Shouldn't your Growlithe have gone to the body? What got into him all of a sudden?"

"My guess…" Hue said. "Is absolutely nothing. He's tracking the scent I asked him to track. That gives us another question to answer though."

"What questions do we need to answer, exactly?" Morren asked.

"In order to get to the truth and prove Freddie's innocence…" Hue said. "We have to answer every question that pops up. For instance, how did the fire start? What was the true cause of death? And, with Gumshoe's recent episode, we can conclude that the scent on the pokedex doesn't match the scent on the body. So...if Ernest Cohen's scent isn't on the body, we should be able to conclude that the body before is is not Ernest Cohen."

"Which raises the question: Who is the victim?" Morren said.

Hue nodded. "Good, now you're getting the hang of it. But you should know that we've run ourselves into a wall with that line of reasoning…"

"But-"

"Officer Jenny clearly stated that the only two people to visit the shed this morning were Ernest, and Freddie. So Morren...who is that dead person lying on the ground?"

"Well...if it's not Ernest, it would have to be Freddie…"

"Hey, I'm right here!" Freddie said. "And last I checked, I was alive! Think a little harder Morren!"

"Well...then maybe it's Ernest?"

"No." Hue said with confidence. "Gumshoe is a Growlithe, and they don't forget a scent once they learn it. He would have gone straight to the corpse if that was the case."

"Ummm...maybe it's someone from NTR?" Morren wondered.

"The only thing NTR has to do with this case is that a former NTR Grunt is Hue's new incompetent assistant." Officer Jenny sighed.

Oh yeah… Hue realized. That was right...Officer Jenny must have been the one that released Morren from holding.

"Well, then I'm friggin stumped." Morren said. "The hell could it be?"

"That's exactly it Morren." Hue said. "It's a complete mystery. But I _can_ think of one thing it might be."

Morren's eyes went wide inside his huge glasses. "You can't possibly mean…"

"I do." Hue said as he adjusted his much more stylish glasses by comparison. "I hypothesize that the corpse we see before us is in fact a _pokemon_ 's corpse."

"But...it's wearing clothes!" Morren said. "And not like the Jynx and clothes either, this pokemon is wearing legitimate _clothes_! How does that work? And a pokemon shouldn't _die_ from fire or slashing! It would only faint…."

Morren stopped. Hue had apparently begun thinking about something.

"You have a point." Hue said, thinking. "I'm...going to try something."

Hue took the sheet of the Cooking Contest blueprints, and walked up to Freddie.

"Freddie." Hue said. "You have the right to remain silent, but I could really use some information from you. I want to know about your relationship with Ernest Cohen, and about the setting up you guys were doing this morning."

"Well...okay…" Freddie sighed.

"Ernest and I have been rivals ever since our first cooking contest a few years ago."

"Jeez." Hue said. "How long have you been cooking?"

"Since I started traveling….well, competitively anyway. I'm pretty sure I came out of the womb with a spatula in my hand though."

"Alright, alright. so, first contest against Ernest…" Hue said, getting back on track.

"Right. I won, against him by a single .1 difference in the final round. A 23.4 and a 23.3 if I recall correctly."

"Wow. Sounds like something anyone would be bitter over."

"Oh, he's never let me have the end of it. After all, in the last three cooking contests i've competed in, he's defeated me by quite a few points each time of those three."

"That's hard to believe." Hue said. "You were showing off an invite to cook at the SS Anne's trainer party back when we first met. I doubt Ernest has the same invitation."

"You'd be right to doubt." Freddie said. "In fact, frequenters of the Cooking Contests all believe that the last three wins of Ernest's have all been hoaxes."

"Oh really?" Hue asked, calmly on the outside, but he was freaking out inside.

Finally, he was going to fucking _get_ somewhere!

"Yeah." Freddie said with a nod. "It's on account of one of the judges at the last three contests being Ernest's uncle. "He always gave Ernest's food a great score, even when it wasn't good."

"Did he give your food bad scores?' Hue asked.

"Oh, no absolutely not." Freddie said. "I've never gotten a score lower than a 7/10 in my life. In any case, a lot of my fans got upset with Ernest and his uncle, and the Triple C, that's the Cooking Contest Committee, decided to replace Ernest's uncle in this competition with the Gym Leader of the city. So, I was looking forward to this contest. It would prove whether or not Ernest was using his uncle to get points."

"Hrm…" Hue smiled.

 _Motive_. Hue thought to himself. Freddie's lost his _motive_.

Freddie didn't want Ernest to die. He wanted Ernest to either be found out as a fraud or simply play in a fair competition..

"Now...about this note with your fingerprints on it…" Hue said as he took out the note detailing burning down the shack.

"I didn't write that!" Freddie said. "Look on the back of it! That's what I wrote down!"

Hue looked at the back of the piece of paper.

"Holy shit…" He said. He showed the paper to Morren.

"Holy shit…"

"Freddie…" Hue said. "This is super helpful."

"I don't understand…" Freddie said. "What is it?"

"Your writing on here...not only does it _not_ match the other side of the paper, but...This is you _editing_ the set-up areas!" Morren exclaimed.

The paper showed Freddie scribbling over the blueprints of the cooking contest. There was a switch arrow between his booth and Ernest's booth, with the words 'E wants to switch." at the top.

"E wants to switch…" Hue read aloud.

"Yeah…" Freddie said. "He wanted to switch booths with me, Something about being closer to the entrance of town, and more near the water. I said it was fine, because it's the locals that give the exotic cuisine its highest reviews."

"I thought that judges reviewed the food."

"They do." Freddie said. "Officially anyway, but there's also something called 'The Public's Chef.' in which those visiting can score the chefs and their dishes. The chef that wins gets an honorable mention, and a small supply of berries as a prize. As you can guess, I'm usually that chef."

"I see…" Hue said. "Well...in any case, this mystery has just about been wrapped up. Freddie, you are without a doubt, not guilty of the murder of Ernest Cohen."

Hue looked to the corpse on the floor.

That was still a mystery though.

Hm…

At that moment, Hue's pokedex received a text message from Aura. "I have him with me." Aura said. "Bringing him and Gumshoe back to shed. Body is a pokemon. Treat it like a pokemon."

Once again, Aura had given Hue and excellent suggestion.

"I have an idea." Hue said. "I can't believe I didn't think of this before."

He raised his pokedex to the corpse.

"...[Ditto]." Dean read.

Hue nearly shit bricks.

"Oh my Arceus that worked…." Hue said with a big smile.

"The [Transform] Pokemon. It is able to rearrange the cells on its body and assume any form. Its only attack is Transform."

"Wait a second…" Officer Jenny said. "How did your pokedex pick up on a dead-."

"Huuuuuuh." Hue breathed in with an excited gasp. "It's not dead! Dean wouldn't pick up on a dead pokemon!"

Hue looked down at his pokemon.

"Umm...Go, Arhtur!" he called.

"Ralts?" Arthur asked Hue.

"Arhtur, see that thing on the ground?" Hue asked. "Can you make it laugh?"

"Laugh?" Morren asked.

"It'll cause the Ditto to become a blob again." Hue said. He didn't need to look in his pokedex to know that. Ditto was one of his favorite pokemon after all. "Officer Jenny, can I check Ernest's pokedex for a while?"

Officer Jenny handed Hue the pokedex. Hue looked up Ditto, and found exactly what he was looking for. He handed the pokedex back to Officer Jenny.

This case was closed.

"I know how this all went down." Hue said as Arthur began doing various tricks to attempt to make the Ditto laugh.

"Officer Jenny, you've got this case all wrong. There was never a murder. But you _should_ arrest someone for arson."

"Who?" Officer Jenny asked. "And explain yourself!"

"Find Aura." Hue said. "Arrest the person she has in her custody. Arrest Ernest Cohen!"

Hue took a bow and began to play the Phoenix Wright Unlimited Corners music. "And I'll gladly explain myself."

"First." Hue said. "Let me get this out of the way. Freddie's 'motive', was anything but. Freddie was counting on Ernest participating in the Cooking Contest tomorrow, because it would be the first contest in a long while where Ernest wouldn't have a relative as one of the judges. In turn, this creates a motive for Ernest to _not_ compete in the contest!"

"Next." Hue said. "The one working on set up by the shed was none other than Ernest Cohen!"

"Hold on…" Officer Jenny said as she presented her copy of the blueprints for setting up the contest. "The blueprints clearly show that _Freddie_ was the one working near the shed."

"Objection!" Hue yelled as he took out the note that was meant to incriminate Freddie. "Take a look at the back of this note. It clearly shows that Ernest himself requested a switch."

"Objection!" Officer Jenny yelled back. "The back of that note is nothing more than Freddie trying to cover up his own tracks! The other side clearly shows _his plans for murder_!"

"Objection!" Hue shouted.

"You...can be really loud when you need to be huh…" Morren said.

Hue didn't pay Morren any mind. "The writing on each side of the paper is _different_!" He said. "Clearly two different people wrote on this piece of paper! So Jenny, which side is Freddie and which side is Earnest? The answer is simple! Take that!" He yelled as he threw the piece of paper at Officer Jenny.

"Freddie wrote on the blueprint side of the paper, before the note and plans were made on the other side! That's why his fingerprints are all over it!"

"But then...who wrote on the other side?"

"None other...than Earnest Cohen!" Hue yelled as he pointed towards the door of the shed where Aura and her beedrill Koko had the boy he could only assume was Ernest Cohen at stinger-point.

"Growlithe Growlithe Growlithe!" Gumshoe barked his head off at Ernest.

"Gumshoe, that's enough!' Hue called as Gumshoe returned to him. "Good work boy." Hue said with a smile. "You found him!"

"I think this might be some pretty damning evidence for our case, Officer." Aura said as she blew her wavy black hair out of her eyes. "Wouldn't you agree?"

"No...no way!" Earnest said. "Th-that Ditto isn't mine!" he pointed to the now pink ditto on the floor of the burnt shed, which was playing with Arthur.

Officer Jenny let Freddie out of his handcuffs.

"What are you doing? That Ditto is probably his!"

"Sorry." Hue said. "But we can prove that the Ditto is yours if we just look at the pokedex."

"Ditto has the ability to reconstitute its entire cellular structure into whatever it sees." Dean stated. "If it tries to transform itself into something by relying on its memory, it may get the details wrong."

"I don't see how that proves it was my Ditto…"

"Because of what you _gave_ it." Hue said as he grabbed Earnest's pokedex. "This pokedex is the only pokedex in the room that has a pokeball symbol next to Ditto's entry in its list. You know what that means right?" Hue asked.

"It means that only you could have owned this Ditto!" Hue yelled as he pointed in Ernest's direction.

"Urgh." Ernest backed up. "Gaaaah!" He jumped forward.

"Now now now…" Aura said as it became clear that Ernest had backed up into Koko's stinger.

"She didn't do anything, but if you try to run, Koko will catch you. I suggest you just confess."

"N-No! That's not my Ditto!" Ernest yelled. "It must be wild! Throw a pokeball at it, I dare you!"

Wait a minute…

He seemed too confident about that.

"Officer Jenny…" Hue said. "Look in Ernest's pokedex. Under 'Ditto', read to me the amount of Ditto that Ernest currently owns. It's a pokedex so it should update automatically with every catch and release of a pokemon."

"Ditto…" Officer Jenny said. "In possession: 0."

"Ha!" Ernest yelled. "It's not mine!"

"No…" Hue said with a glint in his eye. "But it used to be. Or did you forget that you're the _only one_ that could have owned this Ditto? It transformed into _you_. Albeit, it got a few details wrong, like the Charmeleon wounds _after_ the burns in the shed….but it still quite clearly turned into you. It even had your I.D. on it so that it could get the proportions right."

"Alright wise guy…" Ernest said. "Then _how did I_ _start the fire_?"

Hue rolled his eyes.

"Freddie's Charmeleon has been out of its pokeball all morning." Hue said. "Ditto would have had plenty of time to see it and transform, and set the building ablaze using even only the tip of its tail. And with that.." Hue pointed at Ernest. "Your entire argument crumbles! Officer Jenny, arrest Ernest Cohen on suspicion of arson! If there's a word for framing someone for a false murder, arrest him for that too!"

"Nooooo!" Ernest screamed as he fell down to the floor and Officer Jenny handcuffed him.

"Now…" Hue said after Ernest was taken away. "Time for my prize." He took out a pokeball.

"Where is that wild Ditto?"

"It's gone." Aura said. "Sorry Huey."

"What do you mean _gone_?" Hue asked.

"It's decisive evidence against Ernest Cohen…" She said. "The officers caged it and took it with them."

"Noooooo!" Hue yelled at the sky.

That was a Ditto…

A Ditto…

One that could transform into incredibly detailed things…

And it was _wild_ …

Why did Arceus hate him so?

"Agh." Hue said as a sudden pain jolted in his head.

"Hue are you okay?" Morren asked.

"I...I'm fine…" Hue said, hoping to high heaven that he was fine.

"Thanks for the help." Freddie said as he massaged his wrists.

"Please, please stay in Cerulean for the Cooking Festival tomorrow. I want to make you some special foods as thanks."

"Alright." Hue sighed. He couldn't just leave after what had just happened to Freddie. Besides, it sounded like a ton of delicious food was going to be at this festival…

"But afterwards, Aura and I are leaving."

"What about me?" Morren asked.

"Have you challenged Cassy at her gym yet?" Aura asked as though she was asking a little kid if they had eaten their vegetables.

"Well...no but…"

"Then you should stay here until you've got a badge from her! Besides, you might be able to schedule something with her if you talk to her during the Cooking Contest."

"Alright, so it's settled then." Freddie said. "Let's make the Cooking Contest a grandiose one then!" He said as he continued to set up.

Everyone helped him for the rest of the day.

Before they knew it, they were back in their room in the Pokemon Center.

"This is the last night for a while that our room will be full, huh…" Hue said to no one in particular.

"Yeah, probably." Aura said.

Okay, so she was still awake.

"Is your head okay?" Aura asked. "It was giving you trouble earlier today…"

"It's fine…" Hue said. "I probably just need a good night's sleep or something. The past week has been pretty gruesome for me."

"Alright then. Sweet dreams Huey." Aura yawned, before falling asleep.

It took Hue another hour to follow suit.

His dream was anything but sweet.


	18. Fever Food

Chapter 18:

Fever Food

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Withdraw, Rapid Spin, Bite, Water Pulse

Ace(Pidgey): Mud-Slap, Gust, Quick Attack, Roost

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Flame Wheel

Arthur(Ralts): Confusion, Double Team, Teleport, Disarming Voice

Hue knew he was dreaming...that much was certain, judging from the fact that he was back in _there_ ….

He was in the cell that had been his home for a whole month when he had been kidnapped.

Hue tried to force himself to wake up, but he couldn't...

Donovan wasn't there in the dream.

Only Hue was there.

There was a boy in another cell across the hallway, who looked to be about 12, maybe 13 years old.

"Hey." He said, as though he and Hue had known each other for some time.

"You just got back too huh?"

Hue looked at the boy. He had a head of black hair, so shaggy that his eyes were covered. His skin was rather pale. It must have been because of the malnourishment.

"You just got back too huh?" He asked again.

Hue could hear water dripping from a faucet somewhere.

"Y-yeah…" He said, not knowing what was going on, but assuming that this boy meant the area where he had gotten his shots.

"Okay...then, can you tell her that it doesn't hurt that much?" The boy asked as he pointed to a girl in the cell next to his.

"It doesn't hurt that much…" Hue said to the girl in the cell.

He couldn't quite make out her face, but from the way she talked...Hue hazarded a guess that she was around 6 years old.

"But…" The girl said into a stuffed Dragonite doll. "I don't like needles...And I'm scared...I want my mommy...she'll save me…"

Hue tried to get a good look at the girl, but he couldn't.

He couldn't really get that great a look at the boy either. He could only see the boy's black hair.

The girl's head was completely covered by her stuffed Dragonite doll.

"Listen…" The boy said. "I have a plan. A few friends of mine and I are going to put it into action tomorrow."

"Really?" The girl seemed hopeful.

"Yeah, I heard about that." Hue found himself saying. He couldn't seem to control his movements.

"Hey, boy in the cell over there…" The girl pointed at Hue. "Is the other boy telling the truth? I can't see him from where I'm standing."

Deciding not to remark on how she probably couldn't see anything with her head stuck in that Dragonite doll anyway, Hue answered.

"He's telling the truth. He and his friends are all trainers who have pokemon that can help us escape."

"Do you have any pokemon?" The girl asked, her face still hidden.

Hue wanted to say yes, and reached for Gumshoe's pokeball, but he couldn't find it.

He noticed that he had regressed back into his six year old body. He didn't have his pokemon yet.

"Not yet...but I will." Hue said. "Especially if I can get out of here. I'd want to become a strong trainer like the boy in that cell and his friends...And then I could save other people in situations like this…"

"Aww, you're flattering me too much." The boy in the cell across from Hue said.

"So…" The girl mumbled. "W-what subject numbers did they give you? I'm 2…"  
"I'm 1…" The boy across the cell said.

"I'm…..4." Hue found himself replying. "I'm Subject 4…."

"They aren't going to take any more of my cellmates away are they?" The girl asked.

"They said that they were giving all of them shots, but shouldn't they be down here with us too?"

"Yeah they should…" Hue said looking around, concluding that this must be the case.

"No, it's probably better that they aren't here right now…" The boy in the cell across from Hue said.

"They're almost certainly…" He looked at Hue, and all of a sudden, the boy transformed into a white, transparent version of himself. "Dead just like this…" He said as he began to float out of his cell."

"Eeep!" The girl with the Dragonite doll somehow grabbed around Hue's arm.

"This way!" A voice called from a long flight of stairs.

Hue recognized that voice.

Donovan!

Hue grabbed the girl by the hand and rushed her up the stairs.

"Where are you going?" A gruff voice called. "Subjects 2 and 4, you get back here this instant!"

"No!" The girl screamed, albeit the stuffed Dragonite doll muffled it a little.

"Is anyone still down there?"

Donovan called. "The place is going to blow soon, we have to get out!"

"We might have to send Subject 3 after them." The gruff voice said.

"Subject 3? Subject 3 can't be trusted with something like this! They'll only make everything worse for us!"

"Can you hear me?" Hue called out as he walked up with the girl, who was crying.

"There's two of us still down here?"

"Hey, you, kid with the purple scarf, come on!" A voice called.

"There are kids down there!" Donovan's voice echoed.

"No time for that!"

"Hey w-wait!"

"Donovan!" Hue yelled.

"It's no use…" A gruff voice said. Hue turned and noticed the man in the white dress suit standing before him and the girl he was with.

He put himself in between them.

"Run." He said.

'Huh?"

"You heard me, I said run! There are kids up there who will protect you!"

"N-no…" The girl said.

"No...you both need to run." The ghost boy stated as he materialized in front of Hue.

The building was starting to catch on fire. "I'm older than you so do as I say."

Hue wanted to argue, but he found his dream self running.

"Noo!" The girl screamed.

"Dragonite!"

Hue turned and saw that her stuffed Dragonite doll was floating towards the flames where the ghost boy and a humanoid pokemon were battling the white suited man.

Hue shoved the girl through the door and ran back down the stairs to grab the stuffed Dragonite doll.

Once he had it, he turned around and began back up the stairs, but was grabbed by someone's arm.

"Oh no you don't." The man in the white suit said.

Hue noticed a hole had been dug in the floor.

"It's bad enough that Subject 1 escaped me. I can't let you go as well."

Hue managed to break free for just a second.

He knew he wouldn't be able to make it out of the building.

He threw the Dragonite doll back up the stairs.

"Dragonite!" He heard the little girl squeal in glee.

She appeared in the doorway at the top of the stairs.

"Thank you!" She called through her doll.

"That's what you wasted your second of freedom from my grip on?" The man in the white suit said.

"Subject 4, I hope giving that girl her doll back was worth it."

"Sir!" someone in a black uniform said. "The lab is on fire, we have to leave!"

"Let me go!" Hue struggled to free himself again, but he couldn't.

"Not yet." The man in the white suit said, as flames enveloped everything.

Hue could only see the man's eyes.

They were a crazed, icy blue. "Not before Subject 4 is given one more test…"

"No!" Hue screamed as the flames enveloped the man's eyes.

"No! No! No!"

He heard the sound of a collapsing pillar.

"Eeeeep!" He heard the girl scream.

"No!" He yelled one more time.

Hue woke up in a sweat.

His body felt unnaturally warm.

"Dragonite girl!" He said as he sat upright.

His head was throbbing.

"Argh..." He said to himself as he rubbed his head. "This headache is killing me…"

He looked at his appendages.

Okay good, he was 14 again.

It had all been a bad dream…

Still though...he thought to himself.

It seemed so real…

Maybe...maybe Aura would know something about this. Her brother was part of the trainers that led everyone to safety after all…

"Aura?" Hue asked as he leaned over to look at her bunk…

and saw no one there. The state of her bed signified that she had gotten out of it.

What time was it? Hue wondered to himself.

The room was still rather dark.

He took out his pokedex.

12:30 pm…

Wait..It was _passed noon_?

"Oh my Arceus, the Cooking Contest!" Hue found himself yelling.

He staggered to get out of his bunk, and fell on the floor.

"Owwww…"

At that moment, the door to his room opened, letting a bunch of light in.

"Oh my, Huey, you need to get back in bed!" Aura said as she rushed to help Hue to his feet.

"You were having a terrible dream…" She said.

"Your eyes were open the entire time, doing that weird thing they do…"

"I had a dream about when I was kidnapped…" Hue said.

"I...I thought I might be able to ask you about it."

Aura bit her nail and looked away.  
She turned back and looked at Hue with her dark, piercing green eyes. "I'd rather not talk about that." She said seriously. "My brother was among those kidnapped. If I talk about it...I'll remember...I'll remember that he's no longer with us anymore…"

"Aura…." Hue gulped. He had to ask it. He just had to.

"In my dream, I saw a boy with shaggy black hair that covered his eyes. He turned into a ghost in the dream, and was battling this important looking man with a humanoid pokemon in a burning building. He escaped using Dig, I think…"

"PJ!" Aura's reaction confirmed Hue's suspicion.

"He was experimented with and given shots too, wasn't he?"

"Yeah…" Aura said, looking away. "He told me never to tell anyone about it. He lied to the police about it as well. He also suffered from the headaches that you've been suffering from as well. It got really bad in his final months...If he wasn't killed, I feel like those headaches would've done the job anyway. He even suffered a stroke at one point…"

Aura sat Hue on her bunk and then sat down next to him.  
She put her hand on his forehead.

"You still have a pretty bad fever." She said. "I don't think we can head south to Saffron with you like this. You need clean air."

"What are you suggesting?" Hue asked as Aura handed him some pills and a glass of water that she insisted he take immediately, which he did.

"We're going to head to Lavender Town first." Aura said. "Then we'll hook around to Vermillion City. Hopefully your fever will have cleared up by then. You should also refrain from any strenuous battles or mystery solving. I'd advise staying out of contests for a while too."

"Well then what the hell can I do?"

Aura shrugged.

"I didn't say you _couldn't_ do any of those things…" She sighed. "But, you might realize that it's hard to perform at your best when you have a fever and migraines…And we wouldn't your pokemon to get sick, now would we?"

"I suppose so…" Hue said, as his headache began to recede.

"Let's go say goodbye to Freddie and head out."

The music playing outside was cheery and upbeat. The weather was lovely, and the sun shown down on what amounted to be the biggest food fair Hue had ever seen.  
"See any food you want to try?" Aura asked with a sly smile.

"The gyms aren't going anywhere, you know."

"You're trying to get me to buy you food, right?" Hue asked.

"I guess you aren't as oblivious as I thought." Aura chimed.

Hue sighed.

"Come on, I saw some good-looking burgers over there that I kind of want to try…"

As he and Aura approached the booth with the burgers, Hue noticed a girl chowing down on some baked ziti at the booth next door. She had long, curly red hair…

Diane? Hue wondered.

"Didi?" Hue called out after he took a bite out of the burger.

"Mmf?" Diane turned her head, and noticed Hue and Aura.

"Mmmf!" She quickly finished her food.

"Huey! Aura! How have you been?"

"We're doing okay…" Hue said. "We just...a…"

He stopped.

He had to sneeze.

He brought his arm up and sneezed into his elbow. "Chooo!" He bellowed.

"He's seen better days…" Aura said with a smile. "In any case…" She took out her Cascade badge. "We've both already defeated the gym leader here. But we decided we'd stay for the Cooking Contest since our friend is participating in it."

"Yeah?" Diane asked as she looked around.

"Which one is your friend?"

"Come on!" Aura said. "We'll take you to him!"

Diane's eyes went wide as Aura and Hue led her to Freddie's booth.

"Get your Wings here!" Freddie was calling. He was dressed in a chef's outfit, which for some reason, Hue found his attire hilarious. "Only the best Unfezant wings this side of Mt. Silver!"

"You know _Freddie Franks_?" Diane asked as she looked at his booth in awe.

"Hue, buddy, you're up!" Freddie said with a smile. "Hey Charmeleon, say thanks to Hue for yesterday!"

"Chaaaaar!" Freddie's Charmeleon said.

"And he has a Charmeleon too?" Diane's eyes went wider.

"Oh, hello there miss!" Freddie smiled. "Can I get you anything? What flavor sauce would you like on your Unfezant wings?"

He turned to a pot of sauce that a bunch of wings were in, and dumped some more in.

"Stir away, Magikarp!" He called.

"Karp Karp!" Magikarp said as it surfaced from the pot, covered in sauce.

"That's...a unique way to make use of Magikarp…" Hue said.

"Ghastly!" Freddie called. "Can you bring out the food I made especially for Hue and Aura? They're both here now!"

"He made you food?" Diane asked. "For _free_?"

"Ghasssstly!" Ghastly called, as…

"Ghastly is a boy right?" Hue asked.

Freddie shook his head.

Dammit. Hue was _not_ good at guessing the sex of pokemon.

"Ghasss…" Ghastly said as _she_ grabbed something from under Freddie's booth with her mouth.

She brought up the most delicious looking cake that Hue had ever seen.

"Cake?!" Aura asked, excited. "For us?! Like...we...can _have_ it?"

"Freddie, dude…" Hue said. "You're getting a 10 from us, for sure…"

"I…" Diane was pointing to Hue and Freddie and Aura, and was apparently freaking out. "You..you _know_ him?"

"Hue…" Freddie asked. "Is she with you?"

"Oh, that's right, I'm so sorry. I should have introduced you first." Hue said. "Freddie, this is-"

"This is Diane!" Aura said, stealing Hue's role as introducer.

"She's Huey's sister!"

"I...am a _huge_ fan." Diane said with a quick bow.

"Diane loves food." Hue clarified. "Whenever Fuchsia had a Cooking Contest, she would attend."

"Fuchsia?" Aura asked, inquisitively.

"That's where we live…" Hue said. "We were flown to Pallet town to start our pokemon journey."

"So..you...you've been to the Safari Zone?"

"Well...not as a trainer…" Hue laughed. "But yeah. We also liked to spend time at the zoo just outside it…"

"When we get to Fuchsia, the _first_ thing we're going to do is go to the Safari Zone."

Aura's eyes were doing their piercing the soul thing again.

Yes o superior one.

"Sure…" Hue said.

"Freddie!" Diane said as she stuck out an empty plate. "Load it up with all the wings in that pot with the Magikarp!"

"Woah now!" Freddie smiled. "Hear that Magikarp? She wants all the wings in the pot!"

"Karp!" Magikarp called.

Ghastly took Diane's plate from her.

"Don't worry." Freddie assured Diane. "You'll get it back. Just sit back, and watch."

He turned around. "Magikarp, use Flail!, Charmeleon, give the wings a slow Ember, for warmth. Ghastly, get ready!"

"Karrp!" Magikarp said as it flailed about and knocked every single wing into the air from the pot.

"Charrr." Charmeleon used Ember from below the wings, making sure that no fire actually hit the wings. The sauce on them started to bubble, but that was it.

"Ghasssstly." Ghastly said as she caught all the wings in a pyramid on Diane's plate, which she was balancing on her head.

"Oh my Arceus, that was _awesome_!" Diane said. "You should really do a Contest some time!"

"He'd have to beat Huey." Aura smirked. "Go on Huey, show her."

"I...ugh…" Hue took out his Cerulean ribbon. "I entered a contest so that Aura would have someone to enter with...I ended up winning, so now I feel like I might as well keep going until I have five ribbons."

"Oh no way!" Diane said. She reached into her bag and pulled out a small case. As she opened it Hue noticed the one ribbon. "It's the Ribbon." She said. "I won it right before I entered ."

"I'm surprised…" Hue said. "I didn't expect you to be into stuff like contests. You always struck me as more of the hardcore battle type."

"I….am..." Diane blushed and looked away with a nervous laugh. "That's sort of how I won…"

Aura nodded. "We didn't encounter a situation like that in our contest…" She said to Hue. "But it is true that if you can defeat the other coordinator's pokemon, regardless of how many points either side has, you win."

"Guess that means you're strong huh?" Cassy said as she and Caiden approached the booth.

"May I?" She pointed at one of Diane's wings. "I'm a judge, so I'll only be taking the one."

"Sure go ahead." Diane shrugged. "But I'll expect a battle afterwards."

"Oh you…" Cassy smiled. "Come to the Gym if you want to battle me. I can't do it here in public…"

"Wait...you're the gym leader?" Diane asked. "I thought the gym leader was this middle-aged woman…"

"Oh, you must mean my aunt, Misty…" Cassy said. "She was until very recently. Something came up though, so I became the Gym Leader instead."

"What came up?" Hue asked Aura in a whisper.

"How should I know?" Aura replied.

"If you don't mind…" Freddie said. "I'd like a battle too."

"Oh my…" Cassy crossed her arms.

"First I'm interrupted on my date by the two of _you_ …" She pointed to Hue and Aura. "Then my schedule is thrown into disarray by the Cooking Contest's change of date...Then a strange boy asked me to train him, though he didn't even have a single water type...and now two more challengers that want a battle…Will there ever be an end to this group's shenanigans?"

"Hey, I'm not a part of _that_ group." Diane said. "My shenanigans are entirely my own!"

"And that makes it better?" Freddie asked.

Diane shrugged. "Doesn't it?"

"I think you're missing the key point, Didi…" Hue said with a but of a runny nose.

"I'm...going to find a tissue or something. The sauces are messing with my sinuses."

"Ralts…" Arthur handed Hue some tissues.

Hue didn't know at what point Arthur had come out of his pokeball, but he understood why. There was so much happiness here at the Cooking Contest.

A Ralts like Arthur was _bound_ to enjoy it.

"Awww!" Cassy said. "It's so cuuuuute! What is it?"

"This is Arthur." Hue said. "He's my Ralts."

He turned to Diane. "This is what the Egg hatched into."

"Huh…" Diane looked at Arthur. "I saw a trainer using an evolved form of Ralts rather recently…" Diane said. "I forget where, or who...but I swear I've seen this thing's evolved form. Kirlia I think…"

"Well...that's something to keep in mind I guess." Hue said. "In any case. I'm sort of sick right now, so I'm really in no condition to battle you Diane. My apologies."

"That's fine." Diane said as her eyes shifted to Aura.

"I _did_ say that I'd battle you this time though. If I can't have my gym battle, might as well be against you."

"You want to battle me?" Aura asked sweetly. "What are we betting?"

"Half of each other's food!" Diane said. "You win, you guys get half of my wings. If I win, I get to help you eat that cake!"

Aura looked at Hue. "We aren't lacking in funds are we?"

"We just beat a Gym Leader. The only thing we're lacking in is the amount of badges we have."

"Wait...are you guys just going to battle in front of my booth?" Freddie asked.

"Well, can we?" Aura asked with her pierce thy soul eyes.

"Of course you can!" Freddie laughed nervously. "I'll even ref it, and it should draw some attention to my booth!"

"You should watch, Arthur." Hue said as he picked Arhur up and put him on Freddie's booth. "You might see a technique you like."

"Ralts." Arhtur nodded.

"How many?" Aura asked. "Pokemon, I mean?"

"Let's keep this a simpl single battle." Diane said. "I've got two pokemon that I want to test out."

"It just so happens that I also have two pokemon that I want to test out." Aura said with a grin.

Hue thought about it.

She probably mean Kodu, her Psyduck, and Fushi, because he had recently evolved into Ivysaur…

"Alright then…" Diane smiled as she grabbed a pokeball. "Let's get started!"

"The match between Diane and Aura will now begin. This will be a 2 on 2 single battle match!" Freddie said, as he and his pokemon moved around a dragged attention to his booth and the battle taking place in front of it. "The match will be over when both of one side's pokemon are unable to battle! No substitutions may be made at any time! Trainers, send out your pokemon! Battle, Start!"

"Go, Kodu!" Aura called.

"Psy-aye-aye...duck." Kodu said as she put her hands on her head and tilted it.

"Go, Chusie!" Diane called.

"Piiikaaa!" The Pikachu squealed.

This one, Hue could tell was a girl. It had the distinctive heart shaped groove on its tail that female pikachu have.

"Chusie started following me ever since Viridian forest." Diane said. "It wasn't until just a while a go that I caught her."

Aura took out her pokedex.

"[Pikachu]." Aura's pokedex stated in its strange feminine robotic voice. Hue sometimes forgot that only his pokedex had Dean's voice.

"The [Mouse] Pokemon."

"I thought Sandshrew was the mouse pokemon…" Hue said to Dean.

"Some pokemon are classified with the same genus." Dean said.

"Ah."

"I'm trying to listen here!" Aura yelled as she turned back to her own pokedex.

"It can generate electric attacks from the electric pouches located on both of its cheeks."

"Hrm…" Aura grumbled. "I don't like that I'm at a disadvantage but...Kodu, use Confusion!"

"Psyyyyy?" Kodu tilted her head as her eyes began to glow, and Chusie was lifted up into the air.

"Chusie!' Diane called. "Electro Ball!"

It only took the one attack.

"Psyduck is unable to battle." Freddie said. "Pikachu is the winner."

"Alright then…" Aura said returning Kodu. "I know _someone_ who needs some training…"

She reached down for another pokeball.

"Go!" She yelled. "Fushi!"

"Ivysaur!" Fushi said as he readied himself.

"Fushi, Sleep Powder!" Aura called.

"Quick Attack, to dodge it!" Diane yelled at her Pikachu.

Chusie managed to Quick Attack away from the Sleep Powder but…

"Now, Take Down!" Aura yelled as Fushi rammed into Chusie.

"Pikaaaa!" Chusie wailed.

"Umm…" Freddie waited for a little bit.

Chusie didn't get up.

"Pikachu is unable to battle. Ivysaur is the winner."

"Alright, it's been a good battle." Diane said with a smile.

"But here's where it ends. Gygara, I choose you!"

"Gygara?" Hue asked as Diane threw her pokeball.

"Gyarados!" The Gyarados roared as it towered over Fushi.

"I...Ivysaur…" Fushi said as he backed up a bit.

"[Gyarados]." Aura's pokedex told her as she scanned Gygara over.

"The [Atrocious] Pokemon. This Pokemon has a vicious temperament so use extreme caution. Its fangs can crush stones and its scales are harder than steel."

"I see…" Aura said. "I can work with that…"

"Gygara, use Bite!" Diane called as Gygara lunged at Fushi.

"Fushi!" Aura yelled. "Brace for it, but let it bite you."

"Saurrrrr…" Fushi braced for impact.

"Now!" Diane yelled.

"Radosss!" Gygara lunged down and chomped onto the bud on Fushi's back.

"You're powerful, Didi." Aura chimed. "But maybe not the most observant in your family. Fushi dear, use Sleep Powder."

"Saur!" Fushi yelled as he shot a giant cloud of green powder up around Gygara, who managed to fall asleep.

"Alright Fushi...now give it a Razor Leaf!" Aura smiled.

"Ivy...Saur!" Fushi yelled as he shot the sharp leaves at Gygara, who was still asleep.

"Gygara, wake up!' Diane yelled.

She wasn't having any luck.

"Let's finish this off with Bullet Seed, kay Fushi?" Aura asked.

"Ivy." Fushi nodded before shooting Gygara with five bullet seeds.

"Gygara is unable to battle." Freddie said, looking at Gygara. "Ivysaur is the winner, which means victory goes to Aura."

"You can have some cake anyway." Aura said with a smile. "It was fun to battle someone who only uses brute power. A pleasant change from the tricks that everyone thinks up."

"Well thank you." Diane said. "I like training my pokemon to be strong and to hit hard. It seems like it wasn't enough though. I'll probably have to train a little more and come up with a few tricks of my own if I want to defeat you or Huey."

"Oh, if it was Huey, you would've won hands down." Aura said with a coy smile.

"That's enough out of you." Hue said as he put a hand on Aura's shoulder. "You won your battle. No need to belittle me."

"That battle was...short…" Freddie said. "I can't say I was bored but...the battle was way too short…"

"That's probably because I've spent the past week training nonstop…" Diane laughed. "My pokemon hit hard, but apparently not hard enough this time…"

"So...where's Donovan?" Aura asked Diane as they ate the cake that Hue had already begun to eat and feed little bits of to Arthur (after talking to Freddie and making sure it was okay to feed Arthur cake).

"Oh, we don't travel together." Diane said. "But...he left Pewter long before I did. He should be here already…"

"Donovan?" Cassy asked. "Are you talking about a boy named Donovan Key?"

"Yes." Hue said. "Do you know him?"

"I had a battle with him before my date with Caiden that you interrupted." Cassy said. "He said something about a race taking place at Rock Tunnel Town…"

Hue turned to Aura.

"Rock Tunnel Town is on the way to Lavender Town, isn't it?" Hue asked.

"You think he's still there?" Aura asked.

Hue nodded as he returned Arthur into his pokeball.

"I know he is. The race he's talking about takes place annually on the 4th of October each year. Today is the 1st. If we leave now, we'll make it in time."

"Alright then." Aura said with a sigh. "I guess I do have to throw you a bone every now and then. We'll go find Donovan."

Hue and Aura both shook hands with Freddie.

"I better see you both on the SS Anne." He said. "And thank you, again, for everything."

"No problem, Freddie." Hue said with a smile.

"Huey, I wish I could hug you…" Diane said. "But you're sick...so…"

"Don't worry." Hue replied with a smile. "Want us to say hi to Donovan for you?"

"Yes, please." Diane said with a nod.

"Bye!" Hue waved as he and Aura walked towards Route 10.

"See ya!' Aura also waved.

"Take care!" Diane called back.

"Remember the recipes that I taught you!" Freddie called.

"Well that worked out well." Aura said as she and Hue got out of earshot of everyone else. "Now we just need to head to rock tu-a….a….a-choo!" She sneezed into her arm. "Oh great, you gave me your cold, Huey…"

"Hey, I'm not the one who climbs all over me every single day." Hue said in his defense. "That's all you, partner. I guess if you don't want to catch a cold, you should stop clinging to me all the time."

"Heh.." Aura laughed a stuffy laugh. "You got me there. But guess what?"

"What?"

Aura took out some medicine. "I have the medicine for situations like this! That means I can cling to you, all I want Huey!" She said as she began to cling to Hue.

"What are you doing?" Hue asked.

"Clinging!" Aura chimed as they moved towards Route 10.

"No, Aura, I mean why are you keeping me sick when you can give me that medicine?"

"Well you didn't ask…"

"I thought it went without saying!"

Aura just laughed and tightened her grip on Hue.

At least one of them was having fun.

Once night rolled around, and camp was set up, Hue and Aura both sat by the fire.

They were both feeling much better. Hue's fever had receded completely. His headaches still popped up now and again, but that was almost definitely a separate matter.

"So Aura...you suggested we go through Lavender Town and then hook around to Vermillion, right?" Hue asked.

Aura nodded.  
"I know it isn't because I was sick that you wanted to go that way." Hue said. "So why do you?"

"I guess I can tell you…." Aura said as she looked up at the night sky.

"Karakara was born in Lavender Town. She's been acting strange lately. You've noticed that she hasn't been out of her pokeball recently, haven't you?"

"Now that you mention it…" Hue said. "Yeah, that is kind of strange. She loves it when you carry her around."

"I think going to Lavender Town might help her." Aura said. "She's my closest family. I want to make sure that she's happy."

Aura paused. "I hope that's okay with you instead of cutting south through Saffron. I understand that we're going to an area where there aren't any gyms to challenge…"

"No, no it's okay." Hue said. "It's like you said...

The gyms aren't going anywhere."


	19. Rock Tunnel Town Reunions!

Chapter 19:

Rock Tunnel Town Reunions!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Withdraw, Rapid Spin, Bite, Water Pulse

Ace(Pidgey): Mud-Slap, Gust, Quick Attack, Roost

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Flame Wheel

Arthur(Ralts): Confusion, Double Team, Teleport, Disarming Voice

Hue woke up in the middle of the night.

He had had the same dream again as last time…

After Aura's confirmation that the strange ghost boy in Hue's dream was probably her brother, whenever Hue had that dream, the boy spoke in Aura's voice.

It was weird and a little freaky.

Hue wondered how much of it was a dream, and how much of it was memory that was forcing its way back into the forefront of his mind.

Was Dragonite girl real?

What about all that 'Subject' business?

His dream self had said that he was Subject 4…

What did that mean?

"Hey, Arceus…" Hue said to the sky. "If you're really up there...how about a little help?"

Nothing happened.

Guess Arceus was just a made up legend after all.

Hue tossed and turned in his sleeping bag for a few hours, before finally falling back asleep, though the peace did not last long.

"Rise and shine, Huey!" Aura chimed as she shook Hue awake. "We can make it to rock tunnel today if we start breakfast now and leave right afterwards."

Oh yeah, that was right.  
Freddie wasn't there to be the cook, so Hue had to do all this stuff again.

He gave a small sigh and an even smaller nod as he got up.

"How do you want your eggs?"

After forty minutes of eating in a strange awkward silence, Hue and Aura got up and headed towards Rock Tunnel Town, a small town that had sprouted up at the base of Rock Tunnel.

"Wartortle!" Douglas called cheerfully as he emerged from his pokeball and tried to climb up onto Hue's head.

"Agh!" Hue wailed. "Douglas, you're too big to rest up there any more!"

"Tortle…." Douglas looked down.

Hue noticed Douglas's sad look and sighed.

He turned his backpack around so that it was in front of him, and his back was free.

"Get on…" He said.

"Tortle!" Douglas jumped on to Hue's back, and Hue caught him, and continued to walk along.

"Wartortle!" Douglas cheered as Hue piggy-backed him down the road.

"Karakara, look at how silly the boys look!" Aura chimed as she turned Karakara, who was in her arms much like a doll, to see Douglas and Hue.

"Cuuu!" Karakara beamed at the sight, before hiding her already hidden face from Douglas.

"I think she's a little nervous to be around Douglas ever since he evolved…" Hue said.

"That might be it…" Aura said with a sly smile as she looked at Karakara.  
Hue didn't know what was going on.

"Huuueeee!" A voice called from atop a small hill. "Brooooo!"

Hue looked up and saw Donovan, in his purple scarf, riding a Doduo.

"Dooonnnn!" Hue called back. "Hello!"

Donovan came jumping down of the hills with his Doduo and landed in front of Hue and Aura.

"Didi told me you guys would be coming so I waited out here for you." Donovan said with a smile, his dark skin making his teeth seem even whiter than they really were.

"Hue, come on, what do you say? One quick battle? Please?"

"Alright." Hue said as Douglas jumped off of him. "What are we betting?"

Donovan thought about it.

"I'd say around...200 pokeyen each." He said as he took two hundred pokeyen in loose change out of his pocket. "You ought to be able to afford that, right?"

"Yeah. Yeah I can get behind that." Hue said. "Okay, so does a One on One sound good to you? Aura seems to want to really get to Rock Tunnel Town for some reason."

"I don't know why…" Donovan said. "The Race is still two days away…That's plenty of time for me and Dosey here to practice though." He pointed to the Doduo as he dismounted.

Hue couldn't help himself.

He took out his pokedex.

"[Doduo]." Dean said. "The [Twin Bird] Pokemon. It runs faster than it can fly. Once its heads begin to fight each other, it becomes incapacitated."

"Do! Doduo!" Both heads of the Doduo shrieked at the same time.

"Dosey's heads usually get along though." Donovan said as he patted the pokemon before returning it to its pokeball.

Hue crossed his fingers.

"It's a girl?"

"Yes." Donovan nodded.

Yes! Finally! He got one right!

"Thought so." Hue shrugged as though it was no big deal.

"It's not that big a deal, Huey." Aura patted Hue on the shoulder as she took the best spot for a ref to stand.

"Let's get this battle started!"

"I know who I'm using…" Donovan said as he took out his pokeball.

Hue took out his own pokeball.

"Go!" They both yelled.

"Doduo!" Dosey called as she was sent out.

"Growwwlithe!" Gumshoe howled.

"That's what I thought…" Donovan said with a smile. "You probably thought I'd send out my Growlithe too, right?"

Eh heh heh...That was exactly what Hue thought was going to happen.

"Oh, no not at all…" Hue lied. "I just haven't given Gumshoe a good battle in some time, you know?"

"The battle between Huey and Donovan will now commence!" Aura said with a chime. "This will be a one on one battle between Huey's Growlithe, and Donovan's Doduo. The match will be over when either sides pokemon is unable to continue battling! Trainers get ready...Battle Start!"

"Dosey, Quick Attack, let's go!" Donovan called

"Gumshoe!" Hue yelled, "Flame Wheel!"

The two attacks collided, and Gumshoe's flames dispersed as Dosey knocked him back, and ran back to Donovan.

"Good job, Dosey!' Donovan called happily.

"You okay Gumshoe?" Hue asked.

"Growlithe…" Gumshoe nodded.

Hue turned his head. "That Doduo is fast. But we have a way around that, don't we?"

"Growlithe." Gumshoe nodded.

"Then go, Gumshoe! Flame Wheel once more!"

Gumshoe cloaked himself in fire and charged at Dosey.

"Dosey, sidestep it!" Donovan called as Dosey easily dodged the Flame Wheel.

"Now, Dosey, use Double Hit!"

"Doduo!" Dosey's heads called as she charged at Gumshoe and hit him with her right leg first.

"Now, Gumshoe!" Hue yelled. "Odor Sleuth!"

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe said as he took a whiff of Dosey's right leg.

Then Dosey hit Gumshoe with her other leg, and sent him flying back again.

"Gumshoe, use Dig to keep momentum!" Hue yelled.

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe said as he burrowed through the ground.

"He's going to try to block you off Dosey, don't give him the opportunity! Use Pursuit through the hole!"

"Do….duo!" Dosey called as she charged through the large hole that Gumshoe had created, and ended up nipping him in the butt.

"Growlite!" Gumshoe yelped as he surfaced, Dosey following right after him.

Hue noticed something different about Gumshoe though...He looked...angrier than normal.

"Hey Donovan!" Hue called. "Just a question...what type of move is Pursuit?"

"Dark type, why?"

That explained it.

Hue was witnessing Gumshoe's Justified ability. His attack was more powerful now…

"Gumshoe, charge with a Flame Wheel!" Hue called.

"Growwwwlllllithe!" Gumshoe yelled as he Flame Wheeled towards Dosey again.

"Dosey! Let's meet him with a Double Hit!" Donovan called.

Dosey's right leg collided with Gumshoe's Flame Wheel, and this time, Dosey was the one knocked back.

"Duo!" Dosey yelled.

"Gumshoe's Attack rises when he's hit with a Dark type move." Hue explained to Donovan. "That's his ability."

"That's really cool, Hue." Donovan said calmly. "But while your Flame Wheel has been exhausted, Dosey still has a leg left to hit you with!"

Dosey's leg came back around and charged at Gumshoe.

"Gumshoe!" Hue called. "Use Reversal!"

"Grow-Liiiiithe!" Gumshoe had turned to use Reversal, but Dosey had managed to land her hit in before Gumshoe could grab hold of her.

Gumshoe was sent flying back to Hue and a giant cloud of dust was created.

"Grrrr…" Hue heard Gumshoe growling.

"Come on Gumshoe!" Hue yelled. "I know you can do it!"

"Grrrrrrrr!" As the dust cleared, Hue noticed that Gumshoe's mouth was…

"Grrrr!" Gumshoe's mouth was _on fire_ ….

"[Fire Fang]." Dean said. "A [Fire] Type Move. The user bites with flame cloaked fangs. This may also make the target flinch or leave a burn."

"Nice!" Hue called. "Way to go Gumshoe! Use Fire Fang!"

"Grrrowwwwllllll!" Gusmhoe yelled as he launched himself at Dosey.

"Dosey!" Donovan called. "Use Pluck!"

Dosey's beak began to glow as she jumped up towards Gumshoe.

As the two pokemon collided in the air, a small explosion of smoke occurred, and Dosey and Gumshoe both landed on their feet, each covered in scrapes.

Everyone looked on, wondering if their pokemon were still able to battle, until finally….

Gumshoe fell to the ground.

"Growlithe is unable to battle!" Aura called. "Doduo is the winner, which means victory goes to Donovan!"

"You did an amazing job, Gumshoe." Hue said as he consoled his Growlithe.

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe smiled.

"Wartortle!" Douglas walked up to Gumshoe to give his support as well.

Hue handed Donovan 200 poke, which really wasn't too much of a loss.

He honestly thought he would be more upset about losing. Maybe it was because it was to his friend that he didn't mind as much.

"Dosey is really something." Hue said as he and Donovan shook hands.

"Thanks." Donovan replied with a smile. "But don't sell Gumshoe short either. Arfy definitely wouldn't have been able to stand up to _that_ …"

"How is Arfy anyway?" Hue asked.

"You wanna see?" Donovan asked Hue and Aura with a smile.

"Come on, I'll show you everyone when we're inside Rock Tunnel Town's Pokemon Center.

After the three of them entered the pokemon center, Donovan sent out his pokemon.

"Bubla!" Bud said. It was still a Bulbasaur…

"Growlithe!" Arfy barked happily.

"Doduo!" Dosey called.

"Raaattataaaa…." A Rattata hissed.

"And there we go." Donovan said. "These are my family. Bud, Arfy, Dosey, and Jerry."

"Cool!" Hue said. "That's great! Here, take a look at mine!"

"Wartortle!" Douglas announced as he jumped off of Hue's back.

"Pid-gey!" Ace cooed.

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe barked.

"Raaalts!" Arthur said, happily sensing the joyful emotions of everyone.

"What is _that_?" Donovan asked.

"This is Arthur." Hue said. "He's a Ralts. He hatched from the Egg."

"I...see…" Donovan said. "I feel like I've seen a trainer using a pokemon that looks similar to this before...definitely a female trainer...I just can't remember right now."

Hue and Donovan both turned to Aura.

"What?" Aura asked.

"Send them all out." Hue shrugged. "Don't you want to invite your pokemon to the meet and greet?"

"I _would_ …" Aura said with a sly smile. "But the reason I wanted to get to Rock Tunnel Town so badly was because of... _that_."

She pointed to a nearby poster.

"Rock Tunnel Town's Anniversary Week! A Contest each day until the Rock Tunnel Town Route 10 Derby Race on the 4th!"

"By Contest…" Hue said.

Aura nodded. "Pokemon Contest, yes."

"Well, today's contest is over…" Donovan said. "They happen rather early in the morning."

"That's fine." Aura said. "There's still tomorrow's contest before the race in two days."

"You're signing up?" Donovan asked.

"We both are!" Aura chimed. " _Right,_ Huey?" She nudged him in the chest.

"Ow! Okay, okay, we'll both sign up..." Hue said.

"Is...everything okay between you two?" Donovan asked.

"Everything is fine…" Hue assured him. "I think she's just a little upset that I won the last contest we participated in and all…"

"And she won't let that happen again!" Aura said sweetly.

"Well...I guess I'll root for you guys in the audience…" Donovan said. "I'm not one for partaking in contests…."

"Do my ears deceive me?" An all too familiar voice asked. "Are Sir Swanson and Miss Jones participating in tomorrow's contest alongside me?"

"Davon!" Hue said, surprised.

"I thought you went with Karen towards Pewter City…"

"He _did_." Karen said from a nearby table. "And he's apparently found me again."

"Now now, lovely miss Walls…" Davon said as he stoked back his gelled blonde hair. "If you didn't want me to find you, you ought not have won yesterday's Contest here."

"Karen...I didn't expect you to be the Coordinator type…" Hue said. "Is there a certain...reason for this?"

"A...a little…" Karen said, getting rather nervous. "It's for my art."

"Art?" Aura asked inquisitively.

Karen nodded.

"Yes, art." Karen took out various wooden sculptures from her bag.

"I like to sculpt pokemon as they perform moves in contests."

Hue noticed one sculpture in particular.

A Kirlia….doing _exactly_ what he and Arthur had done in the Cerulean Contest.

"Who used this Kirlia?" Hue asked. "Did they win?"

"No...they didn't win…" Karen said. "I won."

"How many ribbons do you have again?" Aura asked.

"Just the one from yesterday." Karen replied.

"This girl came in second place."

"Do you think she'll participate in this contest too?"

"Probably…" Karen said. "I can't, so she might try to win the ribbon this time."

"She won't though." Davon said as he gelled his hair back. "Isn't that right, beloved Machop?"

"Maa-chop!" Davon's Machop agreed with him.

"You're all going down." Aura said confidently. "I've been _training_ for this."

"When?" Hue asked. "I never noticed you training…"

"I did it early in the mornings when you were still sleeping. Haven't you ever wondered why _I'm_ always waking _you_ up?"

"Because these contests are small, and there were so many this week, the judges are very strict…" Karen said. "Only the two best scorers in the Performance Stage can move on to the Battle Stage."

Hue wondered if the Kirlia trainer would be one of the finalists…

In the early hours of the morning, Hue quietly slipped out of the room that he and Aura were using in the Pokemon Center.

She was still asleep this time. This would be his one chance to practice before the Contest.

He sent out Douglas.  
"Wartortle?" Douglas inquired with a yawn.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry." Hue said. "But you're going to be my Performance Stage pokemon today. I know it's still a relatively new attack to you, but how good is your Water Pulse?"

"Warrrrr!" Douglas shot a giant blob of water straight up, and it exploded once it reached its maximum elevation.

"Perfect buddy." Hue said. "I've got an idea. Here's what I want you to try next…"

As Hue continued to train with Douglas, he became more excited for the contest. By the time Hue thought that Douglas had gotten the hang of the performance Hue had in mind for the contest, Aura had woken up.

"I had a feeling you'd be out here…" She said, startling Hue.

"Ivysaur?" Fushi asked as he appeared from behind Aura.

"Gah!" Hue put up his hands defensively in order to cover up what he was doing.

"No peeking until the contest!" He said.

"Relax." Aura said. "Fushi and I came out here to get you. Remember that these contests happen in the early morning? You don't want to miss sign-ups."

"N-No...I guess I don't…." Hue said, finally letting his guard down for a bit.

"This is where you and Donovan had your battle, isn't it?" Aura asked as she looked around.

Hue was about to say yes, when Aura looked him square in the eyes.

"You do know why you lost, right?" She asked. Again, before Hue could answer, she answered for him. "It was an issue of _speed_. Although with Odor Sleuth, Gumshoe was able to track that Doduo's scent, that alone is not enough to land the hits you want to on your target. Furthermore, the early hits that Donovan got in on you were more important than you might think."

"Well, you certainly know everything…" Hue said.

"I'm just giving you some advice Huey." Aura said. "If you find yourself in the same situation again, try to use a pokemon that can match your opponent's speed."

"I will…." Hue said, feeling a little less pumped for everything after the lecture.

"Now come on, contest buddy, let's go sign up!" Aura chimed as she grabbed Hue by the wrist and dragged him back towards Rock Tunnel Town.

Hue was the first one up this time.

"And now the Performance Stage will begin!" The announcer said. "Please welcome our first coordinator, Hubert Swanson!"

Hue took a deep breath and walked out onto the stage.

"Alright Douglas!" He called as he sent Douglas out of his pokeball. "Let's get this show started!"

"Warrrtortle!" Douglas called as he pounded his chest like a war drum.

"Douglas, use Water Pulse up towards the ceiling!" Hue called.

"Warrrr!" Douglas called as he shot the blob of water up towards the ceiling, and it exploded into a million little drops.

The crowd cheered at the simple, yet visually appealing technique.

"Now Douglas, let's move on to Act 2!" Hue called. "Rapid Spin!"

"Tortle!" Douglas said as he began to use the back of his shell to spin very quickly. The water on the floor from Douglas's water pulse made it easier for Douglas to spin, and added small waves to wherever Douglas went.

"Now Douglas, rapid fire Water Pulse!" Hue called with a smile.

"War! War! War! War!" Douglas shot up Water Pulses while he used Rapid Spin to move back and forth along the floor.

The crowd cheered.

"It looks like Hue and Wartortle have created Water Pulse Fireworks, and the crowd is loving it!" The announcer said.

"Alright Douglas!" Hue said. "It's time for the big finale! Give us your best Water Pulse!"

"Wartortle!" Douglas shouted as he shot up a giant blob of water.

"Now, jump up, and use Bite to eat it!" Hue called.

Douglas used his spinning momentum to jump up high enough to where his Water Pulse was before he swallowed it whole.

Douglas landed in a pose, and both he and Hue bowed.

The crowd gave Hue and Douglas a tremendous applause.

As Hue walked down the hallway into the only waiting room, Aura met him going in the other direction.

She wasn't wearing her red kimono this time. Hue was both grateful and a little sad at that. Instead she had her regular attire on.

"Thanks for the water…" She said sweetly and hurried up towards the stage before Hue even had a chance to ask her what she meant.

As Hue entered the waiting room, he found where Davon was. "Good job, Sir Swanson…" Davon said with a grin as he gelled back his hair. "I was not aware that your Squirtle had evolved."  
"Thank you." Hue politely replied. "Yeah, Douglas's evolution only happened recently. But he's still pretty much the same as he was before."

"That's good." Davon nodded. "On occasion a pokemon's personality could change completely upon evolution, or so I've heard. Though I haven't quite experienced anything like that myself either."

"Hey Davon...do you know any trainers who might have a Kirlia in their party?" Hue asked.

"Whomever you're looking for, they'll probably be a Coordinator here." Davon said. "Is this trainer a boy or a girl?"  
"I think it's a girl…" Hue said, a little unsure to be honest..

Davon began to think. "Watch Miss Jones's Performance." He said. "I may have an answer by then."

Hue nodded and looked at the monitor.

What _was_ Aura up to?

"Go, Fushi!" Aura called as she sent out her Ivysaur.

"Ivy...saur!" Fushi smiled at the audience.

"Fushi, let's start this off with a Bullet Seed!" Aura chimed.

"SaurSaurSaurSaur!" Fushi shot Bullet Seeds diagonally upwards around the stage.

"Now, Razor Leaf on them!" Aura called.

"Ivy...Saur!" Fushi used the water on the floor to spin as his Razor Leaf cut through each Bullet Seed like a boomerang, before returning to Fushi himself.

The crowd erupted at the sight of such precision.

The cut seeds all fell into the water on the floor.

"Now Fushi, use Take Down to plow the seeds under the water!"

"Ivysaur!" Fushi yelled as he charged across the stage.

"Alright Fushi, get ready…" Aura said, as the stage started to rumble.

"It appears that Aura and Ivysaur are using the aftereffects of Hue's performance to their advantage…" The announcer said as the crowd watched on with eyes glued to the stage.

When the stage finally settled, a bunch of plants and bushes and flowers very quickly and very suddenly sprouted up everywhere on the stage.

Fushi gave as much of a bow as he could, while Aura curtseyed.

The crowd exploded into cheers. It wasn't every day such a unique garden was created.

Hue turned away from the monitor.

"Okay Davon, have an answer about the Kirlia trainer?"

"I think so?" Davon shrugged. "You must understand it's a little hard for me to wrap my head around…"

Hue rolled his eyes. "Just tell me whatever you think their name is…"

"I believe it may have been…" Davon was finally about to tell Hue the name of that trainer with the Kirlia, when he was grabbed by management and led up towards the contest hall.

"Dammit!" Hue said.

"I know…" Aura chimed as she put a hand on Hue's shoulder. "I totally outperformed you in that Performance Stage."

"No not that…" Hue said. "Davon was about to tell me the name of the trainer with the Kirlia!"

"You wanted to know the trainer with the Kirlia's name?" Aura asked, confused.

"We know her already…."

"I'm sorry, _what_?" Hue asked even more confused.

"Remember what I had said back in Viridian City? How Ethel and I had a three on three battle?"

"Ethel?" Hue asked. "She wouldn't be here right now, would she?"

Though it _did_ make some sense. Ethel would have seen Hue's performance with Arthur in the Cerulean Contest, so her Kirlia probably could easily do the same thing.

But why keep it such a secret?

"Oh…" Ethel's familiar monotone voice said. "I thought I heard my name being mentioned. I didn't expect to be running into you again so soon."

Dammit. She _was_ here…

"I'm not here seriously." She said after neither Hue nor Aura said anything. "I'm here to help build Kirlia's confidence." She gently sent out the Kirlia everyone had been talking about.

"Kirlia?" Kirlia asked as it hid behind Ethel.

"They're friends Kirlia." Ethel said. "You don't need to be so shy and reserved."

"You're pretty reserved…" Aura observed. "It seems natural that your pokemon would take after you.

"Arthur, want to meet your evolution?" Hue asked as he sent out Arthur.

"Ralts?" Arthur asked, hiding behind Hue's leg.

He and Ethel's Kirlia both looked at each other from behind their respective trainers, and then both hid completely behind their trainer's bodies.

"You'll have to excuse Kirlia." Ethel said. "She gets very easily flustered and nervous."

"Arthur's still a little young…" Hue said. "He's not quite used to the world yet. Give him time and he'll be more social."

"I am back!" Davon Le Rouge announced as he joined Hue, Aura, and Ethel.

"And….oh, Miss Ross had the Kirlia. My mistake. I almost said the wrong name." Davon said to Hue with a bow.

"Where did you get Kirlia?" Hue asked her.

"No one wants to know how my performance went?" Davon asked.

"Yeah Ethel, tell us!" Aura backed Hue up.

"Kirlia was actually given to me personally by my mother." Ethel said.

That's right...Hue recalled in his head...Ethel's mother was apparently a household name around Kanto…He also remembered that Ethel had promised to tell him about it all if he could find time to talk to her with no one else around…

"Ethel!" A stage manager called out to her. "You're up next dear…"

Ethel gave a nod, returned her Kirlia, and left.

"So, what _did_ you do Davon?" Hue asked.

"Of course I shall tell you." Davon said as he gelled his hair back.

"My darling Tangela and I used the floral decorations on stage to our advantage and created what I like to call a "Garden Ball."

On the monitor, Ethel appeared. She was in a white skirt, and sent out her Vulpix. "Now, Vulpix, Fire Spin…" She said as Vulpix created a spiral of fire as the two danced around the stage.

"Ethel and Vulpix are Fire Dancing!" The announcer stated as the crowd let out many more cheers than Hue thought were necessary.

He didn't _blame_ the crowd or anything, as He would cheer just as enthusiastically, but he _knew_ Ethel...so it was more acceptable.

When it was strangers like this…

Hue decided that he needed to get to the bottom of Ethel's true identity.

After Ethel was done with her dance with Vulpix, the judges took their time evaluating everyone's performances.

There were only 12 participants in this contest total, so there wasn't much time in between rounds.

"We now have the two coordinators who will move on to the Battle Stage!" The announcer said after roughly 20 minutes had passed.

"Please direct your attention to the monitors!"

Hue looked at the monitor.

 _Davon Le Rouge: 26_

 _Aura Jones: 23_

"Looks like it's you and me, Miss Jones." Davon said as he brushed his gelled hair back. "I look forward to finally being able to battle you."

"Huh…" Ethel said as she looked at the scoreboard. "We tied Hue." She said pointing at their scores of 20 each.

"The judges here must be harsh…" Hue said. "I thought my performance here was _loads_ better than my performance back in Cerulean."

Ethel giggled. "So did I." She said. "You clearly practiced this one."

Hue was always so proud of himself when he got Ethel to smile or giggle.

She seemed to resist showing any signs of emotion otherwise.

"So Ethel…" Hue said as they were taken out of the waiting room. "You told me to remind you last time...What exactly is the deal with your identity?"

Ethel sighed. "I guess there's no helping it any more." She said. "My mother is the Viridian City gym leader…"

"Well, where the hell was she back when we were in Viridian?"

"Probably challenging the Elite 4…" Ethel said. "Back in her day, she won the Pokemon League Tournament, so she has the ability to challenge the Elite 4. When she does that, she usually hands control of the Gym over to my father, but lately he's been challenging the Elite 4 a lot lately as well."

"That's why everyone over there seemed to know who you were…" Hue said.

Ethel nodded. "But here I'm sure they don't quite care as much." She explained. "And I honestly prefer it that way. I enjoy it when I'm treated not as 'the gym leader's kid' but as 'Ethel'. You were the first person I met in a long time to treat me like that."

She gave a wide smile as Hue helped her into a seat. "Thank you for that." She said, quite sincerely.

"No problem…" Hue said, feeling himself go red.

"And...please, don't let this make-..."

"Ethel, please." Hue said, his eyes rolling. "I don't give a Rattata's ass if you're the _Champion's_ kid...I like the Ethel I know, and that should be all that matters right?"

"R-right/" Ethel nodded as she blushed a little bit. "I'm glad…"

"Now we're going to begin the Battle Stage of the contest!" The announcer announced. "For this match, we have Davon Le Rouge competing against Aura Jones!"

"Go Aura!" Hue called. "Win this like you said you would!"

"You can do it Aura!" Donovan called

Ethel just sat and smiled.

Hue knew she wasn't much of a cheering type.

Karen was just sitting there was well.

She didn't seem like the cheering type either.

Hue noticed that she had already made a sculpture of both Davon's Tangela and Fushi, Aura's Ivysaur…

"Coordinators, both of you be sure to give us a good show. Send out your pokemon because your five minutes of battle starts…. _Now!_ "

A countdown clock began to count down from 5 minutes.

On a giant screen at the back of the stadium, both Davon's and Aura's portraits appeared above what were clearly the point bars for each coordinator.

"Go!" Davon said. "Machop!"

"Go!" Aura chimed. "Karakara!"

"Maaaa-chop!" Davon's Machop called.

"Bone! Bone!" Karakara said.

The crowd went absolutely ecstatic.

"Look at that folks!" The announcer said. "It's Machop versus Cubone, but Aura's Cubone is quite the unique dark green in color!"

"Machop!" Davon called. "Use Low Sweep!"

"Chop!" Machop ran at Karakara and swept with its leg.

"Karakara!" Aura called. "Use Bone Club to counter it!"

"Boooone!" Karakara brought her bone down and clubbed Machop in the foot like she was hitting a golf ball.

Davon's point bar went down with that hit.

"Not to worry Machop!' Davon said. "Use Revenge!"

"Karakara, use your head!" Aura chimed. "Don't let Machop's hit make a scene!"

"Choooop!" Machop brought one of its fists down towards Karakara, and she braced herself.

"Bone…" Karakara said as the Machop's revenge attack was blocked by her helmet.

"It looks as though Cubone's bone helmet was able to block the Revenge attack from succeeding!" The announcer said as Davon's points bar took another dive.

"Now Karakara, use Perish Song!" Aura called.

Karakara began to sing a painfully sad and emotional melody, lowering Davon's points even further.

"Machop, we cannot afford any more of these point deductions!" Davon said. "We must finish this now...Seismic Toss!"

"Ch….Chop!" Machop said as it picked up Karakara and began to swing her by her tail.

"Seismic Toss…" Hue said.

He remembered Seismic Toss from his own battle with Davon way back in Pewter City….

"Up you go!" Davon said to Aura as Machop threw Karakara up into the sky.

Aura's points bar went down while Davon's went up a bit.

"Joke's on you." Aura said with a sly grin.

"Karakara, use Bonemerang!"

"Bone!" Karakara grunted as she threw her bone back at the Machop, and it hit Davon's Machop square in the face.

Bzzzzzzt.

The buzzer rang.

"Davon Le Rouge is all out of points!" The announcer said. "Which means the winner of the Rock Tunnel Town Ribbon is Aura Jones!"

"Yeah!" Aura gave a peace sign to the audience, most of whom erupted into applause.

Back at the pokemon center, Aura looked at her new ribbon. "We're ribbon buddies now, Huey!" She said. "Now I only need four more!"

"Yes, you're on the board finally." Hue said with a bit of a smug smirk.

Ethel had continued on her way. She wasn't intent on staying for the race.

"What about the two of you?" Hue asked Karen and Davon.

"I'll let gelled boy answer first." Karen said as she began working on a sculpture of Douglas's performance.

"I do intend to stay actually." Davon said with a stroke of his gelled hair. "A certain pokemon of mine has been itching to partake in this race."

"So does that mean you are too?" Hue asked Karen.

She sighed. "I came all the way over here. I might as well."

"That's great…" Donovan said.

He leaned his head in towards Hue. "Hue, who are they exactly? I recognize Davon from the Pewter tournament, but the girl with him…"

"Davon and Karen helped Aura and I when we went through an NTR infested …"

"NTR…" Donovan's voice bittered, which was rare for him. "They're the guys who kidnapped us right?"

"Right…" Hue said. After a minute of awkwardness, Hue finally asked Donovan to follow him outside.

"What is it?" Donovan asked as Hue led him to somewhere that was nice and pleasant.

"Donovan...did….did they ever give you...shots and stuff?" Hue asked.

"Shots?" Donovan seemed confused.

"NTR…" Hue said. "Did they ever say that they were going to _experiment_ on you? Did they ever take you to a lab and give you shots and stuff?"

"No…" Donovan said. "No they didn't. All I remember is that you were in my cell with me, and then one day you weren't. I remember hearing your voice as the building we were in was burning...And then when we were all rounded up, I met up with you again."

"So you didn't get any shots?"

"Sorry…" Donovan said. "All I got was a traumatic experience."

"I got shots…" Hue said. "That's probably when I was brought into another cell. They probably didn't want any unexpected virus to spread or something…"

"Well, well, well…." A voice said from behind Donovan and Hue. "I was expecting to meet up with you boys here, but I didn't expect you to still be awake. I thought I would have to wait until tomorrow morning…."

Donovan and Hue turned around to see Diane.

"Didi!" They both said.

"We haven't all been in the same area since Pewter!' Diane said excitedly. "So what do you say guys? Want to have a race back to the pokemon center in honor of the race that we'll be participating in tomorrow?"

"Last one there is a Magikarp Egg!" Donovan said as he took off and bolted.

"Haha! You mean you?" Diane asked as she took off after him.

Hue sighed and rolled his eyes as he was about to take off after them, but something kept him.

Hue looked up at the night sky.

There were so many stars…

Was he looking at-?

"That's a galaxy that you see." Aura said as she appeared beside Hue.

"It feels...familiar somehow…" Hue said.

Aura put her hand on Hue's shoulder and turned him so that he was looking directly at her.

"Huey, it feels familiar because you're an alien." She said with such a serious look on her face that Hue knew she was joking.

"Sorry." Hue said. "It didn't work. I know I'm still human…"

"Darn it." Aura snapped her fingers in frustration. "I was hoping for an over the top reaction…"

"What are you even doing out here?" Hue asked.

"Huey, we need to get to sleep." Aura said. "We woke up early today and need the rest. You woke up _especially_ early. I came to get you."

She shifted her feet nervously.

"It's...kind of hard for me to fall asleep if you aren't also in the room…"

Hue didn't know whether this was another one of her jokes or not, but nonetheless he understood that Aura was telling him to go to bed.

He gave the familiar galaxy in the sky one last look before heading back to the Pokemon Center.


	20. Pokemon Derby!

Chapter 20:

Pokemon Derby!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Withdraw, Rapid Spin, Bite, Water Pulse

Ace(Pidgey): Mud-Slap, Gust, Quick Attack, Roost

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Arthur: Confusion, Double Team, Teleport, Disarming Voice

The rules for the race were rather simple.

The first rule was: Each participating trainer was only allowed to use a single pokemon to aid them in their race.

The second rule was: The trainer and pokemon must both cross the finish line on their return from the checkpoint on the cerulean city side of Route 10 in order to win the race.

The third rule was: The use of pokemon moves and abilities was encouraged, but each trainer had to follow the path while using the moves. (A way to prevent trainers like Hue, who had Teleport available to them, from cheating and just winning the race automatically. If he used Athur, he'd have to run the track and could only really use teleport to jump ahead of someone directly in front of him. It just wasn't worth it).

The fourth rule was: All the previous rules must be followed.

The fifth rule was to have fun in the race.

Hue wasn't expecting so many people to sign up for this race.

There was Aura, Davon, Karen, Donovan, Diane, and himself, sure...but there were also so many other people.

"Are you competing in this race too?" A rather strange girl dressed in a red hat and trenchcoat of the same color asked him as she stood next to him at the starting line.

"Uh, yeah…" Hue said. He recognized this girl. She was also participating in the contest yesterday…

"The name's Carmen." She said as she stroked her long brown hair. "Carmen Yiddle.'

"Hue Swanson…" Hue introduced himself.

"Who you talking to Huey?" Aura asked as she took her place on Hue's other side at the starting line.

There was a hint of malice in her voice.

"Ah yes…" Carmen said. "You're the Aura Jones that won yesterday's contest are you not?" She asked.

"I am." Aura said. "And what's your name?"

"Carmen Yiddle." Carmen replied. "I'm a pokemon coordinator. I wanted to talk to your friend here, if you don't mind…"

"Oh, it's fine." Aura said, keeping her poker smile on. "Anything you need to talk to Huey about, I can hear as well."

Carmen's expressions turned serious. "Listen, little girl. I don't _want_ you to hear what I have to talk to your boyfriend about."

"We're not-" Hue began, but before he could set things straight with yet another person, Aura grabbed his arm.

"Come on Huey." She said as she continued to look at Carmen very sweetly. "I think I saw a better spot to start over _there_ on the other side of the starting line."

She dragged Hue away from Carmen before Hue could even ask what Carmen wanted to talk about.

"Trainers!" The announcer asked. "You've filled out the form with your pokemon partner prior to sign up. Are you ready?"

Everyone around Hue erupted into cheers. Aura was one of the more enthusiastic ones.

"Send out your pokemon!" The announcer yelled.

"Nidorina!" Davon called as he sent out a Nidrorina. "Let's race!"

"Dosey!" Donovan sent out his Doduo. "Like we practiced girl!"

"Nixor!" Diane called as she sent out an Onix. "You know what to do!"

Hue didn't know she had one of those…

"Diglett!" Carmen called as she sent out a small brown pokemon that was inside the ground.

Hue needed to...He took out his pokedex.

"[Diglett]. The [Mole] Pokemon." Dean analyzed. "Diglett love to create underground tunnels. The movement of these pokemon can be easily detected by their tracks of upturned earth."

"Magnemite!" Karen called as she sent out her Magnemite. "Let's go!"

"Gumshoe!" Hue called as he sent out his Growlithe. If what Aura told him was true, then Gumshoe needed to see what pokemon with speed looked like, and maybe he'd learn something for the next time he had to fight a fast pokemon.

"Growwwlithe!" Gumshoe said happily.

"Koko, you're up!" Aura chimed as she sent out her Beedrill.

"Drill!" Koko buzzed, happy to be out of her pokeball.

The other trainers all sent out their pokemon.

"Ponyta!"

"Pidgeotto!"

"Rhyhorn!"

"Scyther!"

And the list went on and on.

"Trainers and Pokemon, get ready!" The announcer said.

"You ready Gumshoe?" Hue asked his Growlithe.

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe nodded.

"Get set…." The announcer called.

Hue and Gumshoe got into a starting position.

"Go!" The announcer yelled.

"Koko!" Aura yelled as she grabbed onto Koko's legs. "Tailwind let's go!"

She said as Koko sped up quickly, and she started to leave everyone in the dust.

"Oh no you don't!" Donovan called as he mounted his Doduo. "Dosey! Quick Attack! We have to catch up!"

He and Dosey took off after her.

"Nixor!" Diane called. "We know what to do! Use Dig, but keep the tip of your head above ground so we can stay on the path!"

"Gumshoe!" Hue called. "We need to head out!" He said as he and Gumshoe began to run down the path.

"Magnemite!' Karen called, we have to head out too!"

"Nidorina!" Donovan said. "We are also bound to simply running!"

"Diglett!" Carmen called. "Cut that Growlithe off with a Sand Tomb!"

" _What_?" Hue asked in disbelief as Gumshoe was hit by a Sand Tomb attack out of nowhere.

"I told you before." Carmen said. "I need to talk to you. I'm not just a coordinator you know."

"You're not?" Hue asked. "No." Carmen said as she held out a very familiar pokeball.

"I'm a detective with the Kanto Police department." She said.

"I've been on your trail for a while. I need to talk to you about something top secret. The public can't know about it."

"You could have just told Aura that…" Hue said. "There was no need for the-."

"I didn't come here for you to lecture my personality, rookie." Carmen said as the Sand Tomb cleared around Gumshoe. "I came here to tell you something about Lavender Town."

No need for the sass….

"Well we're both in last place now, so can we at least talk while on the move?" Hue asked.

"You'll catch up eventually." Carmen said. "In any case...If you're going to Lavender Town, you should be aware that NTR is allegedly trying to do some...unsavory things...to the Pokemon Cemetery there. The Department Chief has specifically requested that you specifically investigate."

"Is that it?"

" _Alone_." Carmen added. "No partner or assistant bullshit."

"But…" Hue began. "Aura wants to visit-..."

"I don't care." Carmen said. "Detective Swanson, your Growlithe is first and foremost property of the police department. If you don't want it taken away, you need to do as I say. The Department has made me your _immediate_ boss. You've been helpful so far, but you can't continue to act out recklessly like you've been doing. Your investigation will take place _without_ you friend's help. Lie if you have to. Keep her in the pokemon center at the town or something. Find _anything_ to keep her occupied. If you _have to_ …" Carmen took Hue's pokedex.

"I've registered my number in your pokedex. Contact me if you deem it necessary. Do we understand each other?"

Carmen asked as she put her hands in her pockets.

"Y….yes ma'am…" Hue said, feeling like he had just been bullied out of his lunch money.

"Good." Carmen said. She turned to her Diglett.

"Use Earthquake, at the Checkpoint." She said.

Diglett burrowed under the ground and an incredible speed, creating a nifty track of upturned earth for Hue and Gumshoe to follow.

"You should have a fighting chance now." Carmen said to Hue. "Diglett and I are dropping out of the race. We only had orders to talk to you. Not to participate."

"Diglett!" Diglett popped up near Carmen, looking pleased with itself.

"Good luck, Detective Swanson." Carmen tipped her large hat down and put her hands back in her red trench coat pockets. "Diglett, Sandstorm."

"Lett!" Diglett chimed as it created a flurry of sand around itself and Carmen.

When the sand finally cleared, Carmen was gone.

Hue looked at Gumshoe. "Let's go!" He said to Gumshoe. "She's left us a handy track to follow!"

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe nodded as the two began to sprint.

Meanwhile at the Checkpoint…

Diane was having some trouble.

"Ugh!" She said as she tried to get her Onix back above ground.

"What happened here?" Karen asked as she and Magnemite arrived at the Checkpoint.

"An Earthquake appeared out of freaking nowhere…" Diane said. "I need to get...Ugh...Nixor's...Urgh...head….above….argh...ground…gahhh…" She took a break to pant.

"Onix is heavy, dude…" She said to Karen.

"Ladies!" Davon called. "The race is still happening you know!"

"Davon!" Karen called. "This girl could really use your help!"

"You heard them Nidorina!" Davon said. "Give them a Helping Hand!"

"Rina! Rina! Nidorina!" Davon's Nidorina said as she clapped her hands together.

"Lovely." Karen said sarcastically as Davon took the lead.

"Sorry Ladies!" Davon called. "I can only use one pokemon in the race and Nidorina isn't strong enough to lift an Onix!"

"Only the head needs to be above the ground?" Karen asked Diane.

"I'll give Nixor a Revive, and she'll be good as new, but to do that' I need to be able to feed it to her…"

"I wonder if Magnet Rise will work...Your Onix does have a magnet in its brain…" Karen turned to her Magnemite. "Use Magnet Rise."

Nothing happened.

"Well, that's the best I've got…" Karen shrugged.

"Ohhh…" Diane said as Karen ran off.

"Great, everyone's ahead of me."

"Gumshoe, look!" Hue said, excited as he noticed Diane at the Checkpoint. "We won't be in last anymore!"

"Huey?" Diane asked. "Can you help your sibling out and Dig up Nixor's head?"

Hue looked at Gumshoe. He _could_ use Dig...but if he did...they'd probably be in last again…

"Fuck it…" Hue sighed.

"Gumshoe, let's Dig up Didi's Onix."

"Growlithe." Gumshoe nodded.

Gumshoe began to Dig up Nixor's face.

"Oh thank you so much Hue…" Diane said as she hurriedly fed a Revive to her Onix.

"Onix?" Nixor asked.

"Nixor!" Diane said with a smile. "Atta girl! You're okay now!"

"Onnnix!" Nixor yelled as it stretched itself upward.

"Wait a second!" Hue said to Diane, who mounted Nixor again.

"Huey, we're in last place…" Diane said. "I'm sorry, but I don't want that title.."

"You don't understand Didi…' Hue said as he adjusted his glasses and held up his pokedex. "I know your Onix's moveset…"

There was glint his eyes.

"I have an idea…"

Aura and Donovan were neck and neck heading back from the checkpoint.

"Keep it up Koko!" Aura said as she land surfed, holding on to Koko's legs. "Just a few more tailwinds! We can beat this bird rider!"

"Drill! Beedrill!"

"Don't let her heckle you Dosey!" Donovan said as he patted his Doduo

"A few more Quick Attacks and we'll get there! She's already won the contest here! We can't let her win the race too!"

"Do...Doduo!"

"It looks like Donovan and Aura are neck and neck in the lead!" The announcer yelled over the speakers. "This could be either one's match!"

"No, this is _my_ win!" Aura said. "Koko, Twineedle!"

"Drill!" Koko shot two needles at Dosey.

"Double Hit them back!" Donovan said as Dosey jumped and hit both Twineedles back at Koko.

"Fury Attack them away!" Aura called. "And use a Tailwind again!"

"Use Quick Attack!" Donovan called. "Keep up with them! No! Surpass them!"

"Don't let that happen Koko!" Aura yelled.

"It looks like the fight for first place is really heating up." The announcer said.

"And...oh my goodness folks, it looks like we have someone coming back from behind! It's...It's Diane and her Onix!"

"What?" Aura looked back.

"No way…" Donovan turned to see.

"Wait a second…" The announcer said. "Riding on Diane and her Onix….It's Hue and his Growlithe! These trainers appear to be working together, folks! They've somehow come up from last place into the third and fourth place slots!"

"Continue using Rock Polish!" Diane called to Nixor as her Onix got even faster and faster.

"You loving this or what, Gumshoe?" Hue asked as he and Gumshoe surfed alongside Diane on Nixor's head.

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe called.

"How the hell did she get her Onix out from under the ground?" Donovan asked.

"Why is she helping Hue?" Aura wondered.

"It looks like Onix is going even faster than either Donovan's Doduo _or_ Aura's Beedrill!" The announcer said.

"Koko!" Aura yelled. "Quickly, now we need the most powerful Tailwind that you have!"

"Dosey!" Donovan called, "Quick Attack as though your life depends on it!"

"Rock Polish, Nixor!" Diane called. "Let's surpass them!"

All four of them crossed the finish line screaming at roughly the same time.

"It's a photo finish!" The announcer yelled.

"We'll need to go to the slow motion replay to check exactly who won!"

A nearby screen began to play a slowed version of the final leg of the race.

"Well folks…" The announcer said, after analyzing the video.

"This might just be the first time ever that this has happened…but you winner is Hue Swanson and his Growlithe in a come from behind victory!"

The slow motion video showed Diane, Hue, and Gumshoe all already across the finish line completely, while only Koko was across the line for Aura, while she herself, Dosey and Donovan had only just touched the finish line.

"In second place is Donovan Key and his Doduo! In third place is Aura Jones and her Beedrill, and Diane Dorsey and her Onix take fourth place!"

"For coming in 1st place…" The mayor of Rock Tunnel Town said as he handed Hue a gold medal. "I would like to award you with this gold medal, as well as an evolutionary stone taken at random from this bag!" The mayor held out a bag that Hue put his hand into.

He pulled out a Leaf Stone.

"You also get five Star Pieces." The mayor said. "These can be sold for high prices at shops!"

Donovan only got to take an evolutionary stone and a silver medal. He took out a Fire Stone.

Aura was given a third place prize of an Everstone.

Diane, along with everyone else, all got Quick Claws as consolation prizes.

"Bye!" Hue and Aura waved everyone off as they all went in different directions. Donovan went back up to Route 10, Diane rushed into Rock Tunnel, Davon and Karen followed.

Hue and Aura remained at the pokemon center. They decided that they could use the R and R.

"That Leaf Stone is useless right now…" Aura said as she plopped herself on her bottom bunk.

"You should give it to me…"

"No." Hue said, trying his hardest not to smile. He had a feeling that there was a pokemon that used a Leaf Stone to evolve that Aura really wanted to catch...Knowing her, she probably had her sights set on a pokemon like Vileplume…

"Huey…" Aura said after a while. "What did that Carmen girl want to talk to you about?"

"She was just introducing herself as my new boss…" Hue half-lied. "She's a Detective just like me…'

"I don't like your new boss." Aura said.  
This wasn't exactly _news_ to Hue, but it was still surprising to hear Aura admit that she didn't like someone who was an enemy of NTR…

"I don't like her that much either…" Hue said. "At least when _you_ boss me around, you do it with an encouraging tone of voice."

"Would you like me to boss you around a bit, Huey?" Aura asked with a sly smile.

"No, no that's okay…" Hue said, getting as far off of that topic as possible.

"So, are there any pokemon inside Rock Tunnel that you want to catch?"

"No." Aura said. "There's nothing inside Rock Tunnel that I want to catch. What about you?"

"I'll find out when I get there I guess…"

Hue wouldn't find any pokemon he wanted to catch inside Rock Tunnel.

The only thing Hue would find inside Rock Tunnel was trouble.


	21. Rock Tunnel Rumble!

Chapter 21:

Rock Tunnel Rumble!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Withdraw, Rapid Spin, Bite, Water Pulse

Ace(Pidgey): Mud-Slap, Gust, Quick Attack, Roost

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Arthur(Ralts): Confusion, Double Team, Teleport, Disarming Voice

"Wow, okay...it's really dark down here…" Hue said as he led Aura by her hand through the deathtrap of a cave that was Rock Tunnel.

"Are you absolutely sure that Purin doesn't know a move that can light up the place?" He asked.

"Even if he _did_ …" Aura said. "It's so much more fun to watch you struggle through the darkness!"

Well, it seemed clear to Hue that Aura's Wigglytuff _did_ in fact know a move to help them through this situation.

"But if we get separated…" Hue said with a grin as he tightened his grip on Aura's hand. "I won't be able to find you again. I don't want to leave you all alone in a dark tunnel, and It just wouldn't be the same without you around, I'd be so lonely…"

While technically everything he said was true, the tone he used to say it all was a lie.

Hue had learned very recently that just as he got flustered easily when Aura acted in this same manner to him, she was just as vulnerable to it when the positions were reversed.

"Okay, okay…" Aura said as she sent out Purin, her Wigglytuff. "Just stop acting like that...It's so unnatural for you…Purin, use Dazzling Gleam!"

"Wiggly!" Purin cheered as his entire body began to glow, creating a tremendously bright light which illuminated the entire cave.

"Oh wow, that is so helpful!" Hue said, excited as he began to walk through the cave.

"Ahem." Aura coughed. "Huey…" She held out her hand.

"Oh, you can see." Hue rolled his eyes. "I shouldn't still need to hold your hand…"

"I can't see my feet under my hakama." Aura said. "I might trip on something."

Those piercing eyes.

Hue can't compete against those in a staring contest, they creep him out too much…  
"I can't believe you sometimes…" He sighed as he grabbed her hand and continued through the cave. "Come on…"

"Zuuuubat!" A bunch of Zubat flew out from a lower level of the cave.

"A-ahhhh!" A kid came up from the same lower level, running towards Hue and Aura.

He was short, kind of like Freddie, except he was chubby, had tan skin, brown hair and brown eyes, and was wearing glasses without frames.

"You gotta!" He ran up to Aura in particular. "You gotta help me miss!"

Aura looked at Hue.

"You know him?" She asked. Hue shook his head. "Never seen him before in my life."

"Who are you?" Aura asked the boy. "Are you lost?"

"N-no…" The boy said. "I-I'm Allan Cleveland! I'm a trainer and can handle myself! But you! You won the Rock Tunnel Town Contest! You should be able to defeat the scary guy guarding the path on the path below!"

"Did...did all your pokemon faint down there?" Hue asked.

"Yeah!" Allan nodded. "And I've got to get them to a Pokemon Center right away, but someone needs to do something about the bully down there! He's challenging trainers to battles and taking all the money they have on them!"

"This sounds like its up my alley…" Aura nodded. "Sure Allan. Huey and I will take care of your bully."

"He's not _my_ bully." Allan said as he pushed passed Hue and Aura. "He's just a jerk to everyone!"

"Yeah okay, you're welcome!" Hue called after Allan.

"You'd think he'd be polite enough to say 'thank you'."

"Well if what he said is true…" Aura said. "The really impolite one is down on the lower level of the cave."

"Oh...No…." Hue said as he and Aura came face to face with the trainer that Allan had been complaining about. "Not you again…"

"It's been a while…" Victor Grail said as he stroked his red facial hair. "But I've finally caught you in my trap, Swanson! No one humiliates me while I'm battling alongside Ethel Ross like that!"

"You're mad about _that_?" Aura tried her hardest not to laugh. "Losing a battle? Really?"

"Victor, you need to stop robbing other trainers of all their money." Hue said, calmly. "Don't be a dick just to compensate for your lack of one."

Victor's face became red like his hair with how angry the offhanded insult made him. "You've got some balls saying that to my face…" Victor said.

"I was born with them." Hue nodded.

"Alright Swanson." Victor said with a bit of a menacing grin. "You seem to think you're hot shit right now, so I'll tell you what. A 3 on 3 battle. Me against you. The winner has to forfeit all the money they have on them. Only…"

He pointed at Aura. "Your girlfriend can't ref. We'll have an unbiased one. The next trainer to come by."

"She's not my-."

"We accept." Aura said. "You've got this Huey." She patted him on the shoulder before taking a seat on Purin, who was already sitting, while lighting up the area. "Oh, it's been a while since I could just relax like this and watch a battle…"

Much to Hue's surprise, a trainer that looked a lot like she could be Aura's cousin or something was the next one to appear.

"Hey, you!" Victor said. "Can you be an impartial ref for us?"

"Ugh." The girl gave a bit of a huff.

"Miss, please!" Hue called after her.

She didn't look back. All Hue saw was the word on the back of her jacket.

Hue took a gamble.

"Miss Lang, please!" He called. The girl turned around.

"You know my name?" She asked.

"It's on your-" Victor was about to point out, but Aura gave him a shushed finger. Before she answered for Hue.

"Of course he knows who you are." Aura said. "You're Helen Lang. You're both a Coordinator and a Pokemon Trainer. You won the first Rock Tunnel Town Contest!"

"Very well then." Helen Lang said as she brushed her black hair out of her brown eyes. "I'll ref your battle. Is it a Standard 3 on 3?"

"Yes." Victor said. "For all the money between the two of us."

"So _you're_ the troll I've heard about." She said looking at Hue and Aura. "I assume it was a dual operation with you being the battler, and her being the unfair ref…"

"Well, actually…" Hue was about to clarify everything when Aura stopped him.

"Just start the battle already!" She said as she adjusted herself in her Wigglytuff's lap. "Before I go to sleep…"

VICTOR VS HUE

"This will be a 3 on 3 match!" Helen said as Victor and Hue took their positions. "Between Victor Grail of Pallet Town, and Hubert Swanson of Fuchsia City! The prize is the entire funds of the other trainer. Neither side is allowed to make substitutions. The battle will be over when all three of one side's pokemon are unable to battle. Trainer's get your first pokeballs at the ready."

"Ready..." Victor said.

"Ready…" Hue nodded as he grabbed a pokeball from his belt.

"Battle, Start!" Helen said.

"Go, Ace!" Hue called.

"Pid-gey!" Ace cooed.

"Graveler, this all you!" Victor yelled as he sent out a Graveler.

Hue brought up his pokedex.

"[Graveler]." Dean said. "The [Rock] Pokemon. A slow walker, it rolls to move. It pays no attention to any object that happens to be in its path."

"It rolls to move huh.." Hue said.

"Graveler!" Victor called "Use Rock Blast!"

"Graveler!" Victor's Graveler yelled as it shot rocks at Ace.

"Ace, use Quick Attack to Dodge them!" Hue called.

Ace managed to dodge the strand of rocks, but flew directly into the second strand of rocks that Graveler had shot.

"Rock Blast is a move that hits multiple times Huey!" Aura called from her glow in the dark Wigglytuff chair.

"Ace!" Hue called as Ace fell to the cave floor. "Roost!"

"Pid-gey…" Ace said as she began to heal her wounds from the Rock Blast.

"Graveler! Use Rock Throw!" Victor called. "Bury that fucking Pidgey!"

"Ace!" Hue called. "It's just the single rock! Use Gust to knock it back at Graveler!"

Ace began to create a tornado, but the rock that Victor's Graveler threw was too powerful and knocked Ace into the cave wall.

"Pi….pidgey…" Ace panted as she stood up from the hit.

"Roost once more Ace!" Hue called.

"Oh no you don't!" Victor called. "Graveler, while it's on the ground, use Magnitude!"

"Ace abort!" Hue yelled as Ace flew up just in time to dodge a vicious tremor attack.

Hue knew what Roost's drawback was. Whenever Ace was using Roost, she was susceptible to Ground moves.

"Now Ace, use Mud Slap!" Hue called.

"Graveler, protect your face and roll out of the way!" Victor yelled.

Graveler curled up and began to roll away from Ace.

"Oh no you don't!" Hue called, "Ace, use Gust to stop Graveler in its tracks!"

"Pid-gey!" Ace created a tornado and trapped Graveler inside it.

"Now, use Mud-Slap!" Hue called.

"Pidgey!" Ace cooed as she splashed a truckload of mud on the cave floor onto the Graveler.

"Graveler! Are you okay?" Victor asked.

"Gravelerrrr…" Graveler said, signifying that it was still able to battle.

"Then use Rock Throw!"

"Graveler!"

"Dodge it, Ace, and Roost on Graveler itself!" Hue called.

"Pidgey…" Ace dodged the Rock Throw and Roosted on Graveler.

"Heh." Victor laughed. "You shouldn't have done that."

The look in his eyes…

It creeped Hue out even more than Aura's daggers.

"Graveler...Rock Blast!"

Ace was bombarded with rocks coming straight from Graveler, and knocked back into the cave wall again.

"Pidgey is unable to battle." Helen called. "Graveler is the winner."

"Grr…" Hue said. He didn't want to use Douglas yet...and Gumshoe was tired…

But...was it really okay for _this_ to be Arthur's first battle?

"Hue, send out your next pokemon or surrender." Helen said. "I kind of want to get to Vermillion City ASAP."

"Screw it." Hue said. "Arthur! I choose you!"

"Ralts?" Arthur asked as he looked at Hue.

"Arthur." Hue smiled at him. "It's time for us to see exactly what you can do."

"Ralts!" Arthur nodded as he turned to face the Graveler.

"You can sense the Graveler's emotions right?" Hue asked.

"Ralts…" Arthur nodded.

Then, Arthur lifted his head towards the ceiling of the cave and began to…

"Ralts...Ralts...Ralts...Ralts…"

"What's going on now?" Hue asked.

"[Lucky Chant]." Dean informed him. "A [Normal] Type Move. The user chants an incantation towards the sky, preventing opposing pokemon from landing critical hits."

"Amazing job Arthur!" Hue said.

"Graveler, take this thing down!" Victor shouted, after he checked his pokedex only to not see any data about Ralts, as its not part of Kanto's regional pokedex. "Self-Destruct!"

"Self-Destruct?" Helen asked, confused as heck. "You _want_ your pokemon to faint?"

"I want _his_ pokemon to faint!" Victor said. "And I have the numbers!"

"Arthur." Hue smiled. "Don't worry."

"Ralts." Arthur nodded.

"Now!" Victor called.

"Gravvvvvelerrrr!" Graveler said as a giant explosion occurred, causing multiple parts of Rock Tunnel to cave in.

"Graveler is unable to battle. The winner is Ralts." Helen said halfheartedly as she looked for a way out.

"Great." Helen said. "Now we're trapped here."

"Hah!" Victor yelled.

"Now you're only down to one pokemon Swanson!"

"Wrong." Hue smiled as Arthur used Confusion to move some rubble out of his way.

"Impossible!" Victor yelled. "That thing should be unconscious right now! There's no way it survived my Self-Destruct…"

"Actually, there was no way you could have defeated Arthur with just a single Self Destruct."

"I'm not following." Victor said. "Go, Primeape!"

"Ape! Primape!" Primape yelled.

"It's because of Arthur's Trace ability." Hue said. "He copied the Ability of your Graveler, which was Sturdy, allowing him to survive any hit so long as he was at full health."

Victor wasn't listening.

"Primeape, use Assurance!"

"Ape! Primeape!" Primeape charged at Arthur.

"Arthur, Teleport!" Hue called.

"Ralts!" Arthur vanished before Primeape could get a hit in on him, and reappeared behind Primeape.

"Now use Disarming Voice!" Hue said.

"Rallllllllts!" Arthur called as a flurry of pink notes hit Primeape.

"Ape!" Primeape wailed.

It looked like that move as an effective one to use against Primeape.

"[Primeape]." Aura's pokedex said as she pointed her pokedex at it from Purin, who was still acting as a chair. "The [Pig Monkey] Pokemon. If you make eye contact with this evolved form of Mankey, it will chase you forever."

"That sounds...bad…" Hue said. "Don't look it in the eyes, Arthur!' He called.

"Ralts!" Arthur nodded.

"Primeape!" Victor called. "Get your bearings together and use Fury Swipes!"

"Ape!" Primeape shouted as it charged at Arthur again.

Hue almost laughed. "Arthur, Teleport again."

"Ralts." Arthur nodded as it disappeared before Primeape could hit it yet again.

"Disarming Voice once more." Hue called.

"Rallllllts Rallllts!" Arthur shouted as a flurry of pink notes once again hit Primeape, even harder than the previous Disarming Voice.

"Prime…" Primeape became cloaked in a reddish aura…"Aaaaapppppeeeee!" It screeched as Hue noticed it's eyes had gone a bloodshot red.

"[Anger Point]." Dean informed him. "An Ability. Maximizes the attack stat after the pokemon takes a critical hit."

"That suits Victor so much…" Hue said as he put his pokedex away.

At least nothing had really changed.

"Primeape!" Victor yelled. "Use Thrash!"

"Teleport!" Hue yelled.

"Ral-ralts!" Arthur was pounded by a Primeape that was thrashing about with little rhyme or reason.

"Once Primeape begins its strongest attack, Thrash, it goes completely out of control." Aura's pokedex stated.

"Ralts is unable to battle!" Helen said. "Prime is the-Agh!" She ducked, dodging a confused punch from Victor's Primeape, before the Primeape fell to the floor of the cave.

"Primeape is unable to battle." Helen announced, brushing dust off her jacket.

"Both trainers are down to one pokemon each."

"Wartortle!" Victor yelled.

"Douglas!" Hue shouted.

"Warrrrrrr!" Victor's Wartortle sneered.

"Tortle…." Douglas stared Victor's Wartortle down.

"Water Pulse!" Both Hue and Victor called at the same time.

Both Wartortles shot Water Pulses at each other, and they collided midway, and exploded, causing the cave to become incredibly damp and muddy.

"Rapid Spin!" Victor called. "Try to get some mud in the other Wartortle's eyes!"

"Douglas, use Withdraw, and then a Rapid Spin of your own!" Hue called.

The Wartortles both withdrew into their shells and began to spin around in the mud much like Beyblades, getting mud _everywhere_.

"Dammit, it's on my new jacket…" Helen complained.

Suddenly everything went dark.

"Sorry about that." Aura said. "a bunch of mud just got on Purin. "If you want to see, I suggest you clean him off."

"Water Pulse!" Hue called to Douglas.

"Wartortle!" Douglas shouted as he shot a Water Pulse straight at where he and Hue head heard Aura's voice coming from.

The light from Purin returned, and Hue noticed that Victor's Wartortle had crept up behind Douglas.

"Now, use Skull Bash!" Victor yelled at his Wartortle.

"Tortle!" Wartortle slammed into Douglas headfirst, knocking Douglas onto the muddy cave floor.

"Douglas, can you get up?" Hue asked.

"War…." Douglas said as he slipped a bit, but managed to stand up. "Tortle…"

"It won't help you!" Victor yelled.

"Wartortle, finish it off with an Aqua Tail!"

"Toorrrrr!" Victor's Wartortle's tail began to liquify as it jumped at Douglas.

"Douglas!" Hue called.

"Tle!" Victor's Wartortle brought it's liquified tail down…

and hit a green forcefield that Douglas had created.

"That's...Protect!" Aura chimed. "You go, Huey!"

"No!" Victor said as his Wartortle's tail solidified again.

"Douglas!" Hue called. "Bite it's vulnerable tail!"

"War!" Douglas said as he dispersed the green forcefield of Protect and bit down on Victor's Wartortle's tail.

"Warrrrr!" Victor's Wartortle wailed in pain.

"Now Douglas!" Hue yelled. "Rapid Spin, and make sure to only let go of Victor's Wartortle when you're at maximum velocity!"

"Tortle.." Douglas grinned as he began to spin around, getting faster and faster until finally he let Victor's Wartortle fly, right into a cave wall.

"Tortle…" Victor's Wartortle mumbled.

"Finish it off with a Water Pulse!" Hue called.

"War...Tortle!" Douglas shouted as he shot a giant blob of water towards Victor's Wartortle, which caused a small cave in of the wall that Victor's Wartortle had been thrown into, creating a small rockslide and a large cloud of dust.

When it cleared, Victor's Wartortle was unconscious.

"Victor's Wartortle is unable to battle." Helen said. "Hue's Wartortle is the winner, which means Victory goes to Hue!"

"D….Dammit!" Victor pounded the mud. "Again? This kid beat me... _again_?"

"I think I see what's going on here…" Helen said as she handed Hue all the pokeyen that Victor had on him, which was about 300,000.

Yeah, she probably figured out who was trolling whom.

"Victor Grail…" She said. "You lack the trust in your pokemon that Hue seems to possess."

She sent out a pokemon of her own, a Hitmonlee.

"Leee!" Hitmonlee said.

"Hitmonlee." Helen said. "I need you to use Strength and Rock Smash to clear that cave in over there." She pointed to where Victor's Graveler had caused the heavy cave in.

"Hitmonlee!" Hitmonlee saluted Helen and began to move rocks and boulders.

"Gumshoe!' Hue called as he sent out Gumshoe. "Use Dig to help Helen out."

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe barked before going to help Helen's Hitmonlee.

"You help too, Purin." Aura said, getting up. "They could use your light and your strength."

"That pokeball…" Helen said as she noticed Gumshoe's pokeball. "Where did you get your Growlithe? That wouldn't happen to be Carmen's Growlithe would it?"

"N-no…" Hue said, nervously. "I just happen to also be a Detective, like her."

"Oh, she was promoted to Detective eh?" Helen asked. "Good for her. She always did love her job at the Department…"

"You...know Carmen?" Hue asked.

"Carmen Yiddle…" Helen nodded. "We both began our journeys at the same time. She's a friend of mine, and a great rival. We compete over nearly everything. Except well…"

"What?"

"She doesn't collect badges. She's a Detective and a Coordinator and that's it. I've tried to get her into the Pokemon league groove of things a few times, but never had any luck. If you see Carmen anytime soon, tell her that I said thanks for the ticket."

"Sure thing…" Hue said. He wasn't quite sure whether he was, like, _allowed_ to refer to Helen using her name.

"Hitmonlee!"

"Growlithe!"

"Wigglytuff!

Hitmonlee, Gumshoe, and Purin all moved out of the way to reveal that they had created a pathway through the rubble.

"Good Job, Hitmonlee." Helen said. "Return." She returned her pokemon.

"Well, I'm off." Helen said. "You two have _fun_." She gave Hue a wink.

"Wait!" Hue said "we're not-"

"Bye Helen!" Aura called as she grabbed Hue's arm, while waving with her free hand, and Helen began to jog towards the exit of Rock Tunnel. "We'll see you around in contests and tournaments maybe! Let's battle next time!"

"Why do you keep cutting me off when i try to-"

"No reason!" Aura said with a smile, cutting Hue off.

"Ugh…" Victor moaned as he moped in the mud.

"Hmm…" Aura gave Hue a look.

"No…" Hue said. "No...No…" He felt like he was training a Lillipup…

"Hey Victor!" Aura called, completely against Hue's wishes.

"We're going to head to Lavender Town now, wanna come with us?"

"Go away!" Victor yelled. "I don't need any sympathy from you."

Aura's friendly demeanor vanished entirely.

"Huey, let's leave."

Hue rolled his eyes.

"Oh hey…" Aura poked Hue in the arm she was still clinging to. "You know what I realized?"

"What?" Hue asked as the two of them laid their eyes on Rock Tunnel's exit.

"That Allan kid never did thank you."

"I don't like where this is going." Hue said as he escaped Aura's grip and sped up a bit, more out of nervousness than out of unwillingness to experience what he thought Aura had in mind.

"Huey come on!" Aura called as she sped up after him. "Heroes always deserve at least a small reward!"

"Well…" Hue called back flustered. "There's uhh..still evil in the world, so I can't quite claim a reward yet!"

"Aww, you're no fun…" Aura said as she managed to catch up to Hue, who was getting out of breath for some reason.

It wasn't like he had been running all that long…

He and Aura looked down the mountain they were on, and saw Lavender Town. A small town for the most part, though the Radio Tower there was enormous.

"Pokemon Tower. It used to be a cemetery for Pokemon." Aura informed him. "But they moved the graves to a new location during the Radio Renaissance that took place about a generation ago."

"Is there a reason the air feels so...heavy here?" Hue asked.

Aura's eyes lit up as the sky began to get cloudy.

"You mean you haven't heard Huey?" She asked with a semi-malicious grin.

"Lavender Town is _haunted_."


	22. The Ghost of Lavender Town!

Chapter 22:

The Ghost Of Lavender Town!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Bite, Water Pulse

Ace(Pidgey): Mud-Slap, Gust, Quick Attack, Roost

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Arthur(Ralts): Confusion, Lucky Chant, Teleport, Disarming Voice

"Haunted…" Hue said, rolling his eyes as he and Aura took shelter in the Pokemon Center.

there were dark clouds forming in the sky.

Hue couldn't understand why.

The weather forecast had predicted clear skies for the rest of the week. Sure it could be off sometimes, but it was never _this_ wrong…

"A boy…" Aura said. "They say the ghost of a boy wanders Lavender Town. He's apparently friendly and wouldn't be recognizable as a ghost if you saw him passing by...well...unless you saw him pass through the walls and graves…He'll be sociable to you, until he's gained your complete trust...at that point...he-"

"No…" Hue shook his head and almost laughed a little bit. "No, we're not doing this. Ghost type pokemon might be what the locals have seen, but actual ghosts don't exist."

"Sure they do." Aura said as she looked out the pokemon center window towards the Pokemon Cemetery. "They have to…" She mumbled.

"Excuse me?" Hue asked.

"Let's go to the cemetery Huey." Aura said. "Karakara's parents are buried there."

"Bone…." Karakara said from Aura's lap.

Hue thought back to what Carmen had told him about NTR rumored to be located at the cemetery and how Aura wasn't supposed to be allowed anywhere near it.

How the hell was he supposed to keep her occupied while he checked the cemetery alone?

"It looks like we're going to be experiencing some thunderstorms soon." Nurse Joy said. "If any trainers in the pokemon center want to leave, I suggest you leave in groups, and tour around the city together. If you happen to run into trouble while you're alone, you'll be in for a rough time."

"Just great." an all too familiar voice sighed. "I wanted to reach Vermillion as quickly as possible but…Ugh."

Helen Lang crossed her legs at a nearby table.

"Hey, it's Helen!" Aura said. "I'm gonna ch-."

"No." Hue shook his head. "No battles indoors, and you heard Nurse Joy. it's going to be unsafe to go outside alone."

Aura huffed and crossed her arms.

"Alright…" She sighed. "No battling Helen indoors…"

"No battling anyone at all." Hue corrected her. "Unless its an emergency, like a robbery is taking place or something."

"Jeez Huey…" Aura said with a sly grin. "I didn't think you'd get so protective of me…"

Hue rolled his eyes.

"I don't know about _you_ guys…" A boy with a blonde bowl cut said. "But _I_ think that all the trainers here should stick together…"

"And who made _you_ the leader all of a sudden?" A boy with a punk hairdo asked.

"No, I believe Craig is right…" said a girl in red pigtails.

"I agree with Annette, Justin…" A boy with shaggy black hair said.

"Phinny, you can't be serious!" Justin, the punk hairdo guy, said to the boy with shaggy black hair. "You're just going to do what this bowl cut dweeb tells you to do?"

"That's enough, all of you." Helen said with a sigh from her table. "If any of you truly thought that you would be better off on your own, you would have left by now. You should all take a lesson and act like those two over there."

She nodded in Hue's and Aura's direction.

Great.

More people to get the wrong idea.

"Introduce yourselves to each other and talk. Actually make the most of your time in here."

"Wait a second…" Justin said. "Why should we have to listen to _you_? You're all alone at that table. Is is it because you don't have any friends?"

"Justin...that was mean…" The girl in red pigtails said. "I'm sure she has friends somewhere else. She's just here alone right now…"

"Hah. See if I care." Justin said as he made for the door of the pokemon center.

"I'm outta here. I'll catch ya'll later."

He tried to open the door, but couldn't.

"Yo, Nurse!" He called as he tried to force the door down, but couldn't.

"The door is jammed."

As the words left Justin's mouth, the lights in the pokemon center went out for a split second before Nurse Joy turned on what must be the backup generator.

"Oh my…." Nurse Joy said. "I'm sorry...It appears the pokemon center is suffering from a bit of a blackout…I'm afraid you might all be trapped in here until the storm is over."

"Man, fuck that." Justin said. "I want _out_."

"You agree with me, don't you?" The boy with the blonde bowl cut asked Hue and Aura as he sat down with them.

"Well…" Hue looked over at the cemetery...he had to _get_ there somehow, and he needed to do it without anyone else following him.

"I guess we agree with you." He finally said. "Trainers ought to stick together in times like these anyway."

"Exactly!" The boy with the blonde bowl cut said with a smile. "I'm Craig by the way. Craig Woods."  
"I'm...Hue Swanson." Hue said. "This is Aura Jones."

"I'm Annette…" The girl in the red pigtails said as she joined Hue, Aura, and Craig at the table.

"Annette Barr."

She seemed rather interested in Hue and Aura and the fact that they seemed to be sharing each other's food.

"So are you two-"

"No." Hue said very quickly before Aura had the chance to create another misunderstanding. "We aren't.".

"This blows Mankey chunks." Justin said. "I'm going to go take a nap."

"No." Helen said, looking at her pokedex.

"I strongly recommend against going off on your own anywhere even inside the pokemon center."

"Well why not?" The boy with the shaggy black hair asked.

"Because of the _ghoooossssst_!" Aura said as she twiddled her fingers towards Hue, who rolled his eyes.

"Actually…" Helen said. "It's a bit of a more complicated concept than just a ghost….Hue should have just gotten word." Helen pointed to Hue.

"Me?" Hue asked.

Helen nodded. "Take out your pokedex." She said.

Hue took out his pokedex and noticed three new messages. All from Carmen.

 _Don't let Aura near cemetery_. Was the first message.

Nothing new there.

 _Change of Plans: Avoid Lavender Town Entirely_. Was the second message.

Well, he certainly got that message too late but...

The third message read something Hue didn't expect: _PJ Knows_

The hell was he supposed to make of this?

Was the 'PJ' here referring to Aura's deceased brother?

And how did _Helen_ know this information?

"I think it might be safer if we all stay inside the pokemon center…" Hue said. "At least until the storm softens a bit."

"That might not be for a while…" The boy with the shaggy black hair said.

"Phinny...I'm gettin tired of you…" Justin warned.

"My name is Phineas, Justin." The boy said. "And I was just checking the updated weather report. The newscasters insist that the clouds are unnatural for the weather at this time of year."

"So what, they say it's still sunny out?" Helen asked as she crossed her arms and legs at her table.

"They're not saying to go outside or anything…" Phineas said with a nervous laugh. "They're just saying that the thunderclouds aren't being caused by natural weather occurrences."

Helen looked out the window towards Pokemon Tower.

"The radio tower is the tallest structure in Lavender Town. If lightning is going to strike, it'll be striking there first…"

"That's good though, isn't it?" Hue asked. "I mean, that way it'll just hit the lightning rod…"

"Pokemon Tower doesn't have a lightning rod…" Phineas said as he sat by Helen.

"So...lightning will hit the radio antenna…" Aura said, biting her nail and looking out at Pokemon Tower.

"That'll make things extra difficult for us." Phineas nodded.

"Our wireless communication will be completely cut off…" Helen said.

"What's more…" Nurse Joy stated. "If the radio tower's signal isn't working...then I won't be able to receive any transfer pokemon from other pokemon centers…"

Hue sighed.

He took out his pokedex. He needed to tell someone, anyone, about this situation.

Considering Carmen's recent warnings, she seemed like the best candidate.

"Need way to protect radio tower antenna…" Hue typed into his pokedex.

It didn't take long for Carmen to reply.

 _Helen_.

"Helen…" Hue said. "My boss says that you can somehow protect the radio tower antenna…"

"Of course she does…" Helen rolled her eyes.

"Your...boss?" Craig asked confused.

"Oh, I'm a detective for the Kanto Police Department." Hue said as he held up Gumshoe's pokeball.

"Well…" Helen said as she stood up. "I guess if the police tell me to do something, I go do it."

"Are you kidding?" Aura asked.

"Don't you know what happens in the movies when you go off alone?"

"A...Aura's right…" Annette said. "We should all stick together...or at least split into two groups, that way no one will be alone…"

"Let's see…" Craig said. "There's me, Annette, Justin, Helen, Phineas, Aura, Hue, and Nurse Joy…"

"Oh…" Nurse Joy said. "I'm being included?"

"Let's split up evenly then." Justin said. "Three of us can stay here with Nurse Joy, and four of us can go to Pokemon Tower."

"Well…" Phineas massaged his temples. "I'm not against the idea, but how do we choose who stays and who goes?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Justin asked. "The ladies oughtta stay with the Nurse."

Neither Aura nor Helen seemed particularly fond of that idea.

"I...I'll stay behind…" Annette said. "I'm not the best trainer in the world anyway."

"I'm not sure if you're an idiot, or just weren't paying attention…" Helen told Justin. "But I _have_ to go out there."

" _You_? The loner chick? You're the only one here who isn't traveling with a friend…"

"She's with us." Aura said.

Helen crossed her arms and gave Hue a look that screamed 'I'm going to kill you'.

Hue didn't know why Helen was getting mad at _him_ for Aura's outburst but…

"No way are all three of you going to stay in the same area." Justin said.

"Let's have the younger lady stay here, and glasses, you, loner chick, Phinny...You're all with me."

"As if-" Aura started.

"That sounds like a perfect idea." Hue cut Aura off.

"Huey?" Aura asked, in disbelief. "Why?"

"It's safer for you this way." Hue said. "Stay with Nurse Joy and look after the other trainers. We need a skilled battler to stay behind as a protector after all."

"With everything you say about protecting others, this sounds more like it should be _your_ job."

Hue looked at Aura, dead in the eyes.

Fight through the piercing daggers, Hue, You can do this…

"Well...if you don't think you're strong enough to handle the important task of keeping the weaklings safe…"

"Change of plans…" Justin said. "Loner chic, hakama, glasses, and Phinny...you guys all go. I'll stay with the weaklings. They need the strongest one of us to protect them after all."

Aura gave Hue a look.

"So _that_ 's what you were doing…" She said with a sly smile.

"It looks like I'm rubbing off on you, huh Huey?"

That wasn't it at all. Hue was hoping he could use what he was saying to coerce Aura into agreeing to stay. He didn't expect Justin to jump so heavily at the chance to be the strongest trainer in the room, especially when Justin had wanted to leave not too long ago…

"I guess you are." Hue lied with a sigh.

"Well, we have our teams now…" Helen said.

Phineas nodded. "But that doesn't change the fact that we can't leave the pokemon center…"

"No…" Hue said as he took out a pokeball. "I think we can. It'll just take a while."

"Ralts!" Arthur said as he teleported Hue outside the doors last.

"Good job, Arthur." Hue said. "Return." He returned his Ralts.

"That's interesting…" Phineas said. "I didn't realize that you had a pokemon from the Hoenn region…"

"Huey hatched it from an egg he got as a pity prize!" Aura chimed.

"You." Helen pointed at Hue. "Come here. I need to talk to you about something."

"What?" Hue asked, curious.

"About what your girlfriend said back there…"

"She's not my girlfriend, but what about it?" Hue sighed.

"Why did she lie and say that I was with you guys?"

"I think she misses having a third person around. It's been a tiny bit lonely without Freddie around to keep us company."

"Well...I travel alone." Helen said. "By choice mind you. It's more efficient for me that way."

Hue didn't think he'd ever be able to go back to traveling alone. He did it for two days at the beginning of his journey, and he hated it so much that he barely looked into Aura's sudden decision to travel with him.

"I don't think I could ever do that…" Hue said. "I hate traveling alone."

"So do I." Phineas said, joining the conversation out of nowhere.

"I'd much prefer the company of family or friends when I'd travel."

"We need to get to Pokemon Tower." Aura said.

"To the top of it." Hue nodded.

The four of them walked into the radio tower.

"What the?" Hue asked as the group entered the tower to see no one there. It looked like it had been abandoned.

"Where is everyone? Where are all the receptionists? Where are all the workers?"

He could feel his eyes start to move fast again.

No...not now...he didn't want to put up with a headache as bad as the last one again. Not now…

"They're not here, that's for sure." Phineas said as he picked up a receipt for a portable radio.

"The most recent receipt is for a radio bought back in mid-September."

"That's a month ago!" Hue said in disbelief.

"This building looks like it hasn't been used for a month…" Helen nodded. "I'm just wondering why no one ever brought this up…"

"Because the radios still worked and everything…" Phineas said. "Nobody went into the tower because they didn't have any need to."

"Or because they thought it was _haunted_." Aura said with a sly grin.

"Aura…" Hue rolled his eyes.

"You know…" Aura said as she grabbed Hue's hand. "This is where...where my brother was…"

Oh…

Ohhhh! That's why she was so hopeful that ghosts existed.

"You think the rumors about the ghost in Lavender Town were rumors about your brother walking around?"

Aura's grip on Hue's hand tightened. "Mm-hmmm…" She said with a nod.

"They have to be…."

Oh, how was Hue supposed to deal with this?

He didn't want to get Aura's hopes up. Ghosts didn't exist after all…

But he couldn't just say 'You're brother is dead and never coming back.' That is just too mean a thing to say.

"Hey!" Helen called from the stairs to the next floor. "Couple that isn't really a couple, come on!"

This room was an office space...Hue could tell from all the cubicles and papers strewn all over the floor.

His head was starting to throb. That must mean that his eyes were still going all over the place.

"Hey, Phineas…" Hue said. "Can you do me a favor and look at my eyes?" He asked. "I need to know if they're moving around quickly or not…"

"Sure thing…" Phineas said as he pulled his shaggy hair up to reveal a pair of dark green eyes.

They looked...sad. Had he been crying recently or something? His eyes didn't move at all.

It was almost as if they were petrified.

"You're eyes are moving around pretty quickly." Phineas said. "That's a pretty neat trick. Mine don't do anything."

"Yeah, while I get a headache whenever this happens. And it gets worse each time…"

"When does this normally happen…?" Phineas asked.

Hue thought about it.

It first happened in Pewter, when he was tracking down a Murderer, and then it happened on Route 4, when he was about to face NTR in , and then it happened again in Cerulean, again with a murder case...And now it was happening now...in Lavender Town during a thunderstorm that shouldn't exist…

"It seems to happen whenever I think I'm about to do something dangerous…" Hue said. "Maybe its some sort of self defense mechanism that was put in me when I was being experimented on…"

"I….see…." Phineas said.

Hue realized that he had just casually brought up the fact that he was a test subject in his early years, and apologized to Phineas profusely.

"Oh, no, it's okay." Phineas smiled. "I know all about that incident. I'm just glad you're all safe."

"Well…." Hue looked over at Aura who was investigating an area with Helen.

"Not all of us. A boy...he was also a subject. He was later killed by NTR...He was Aura's older brother…"

"How do you know?" Phineas asked as he fiddled with the lock on a door that both he and Hue assumed led to the roof.

"Excuse me?" Hue asked, confused.

"Well...have you seen her brother's body?"

"No…"  
"Then how do you know he's dead?"

"Because of a pokemon that Aura carries around with her. A pokemon that used to belong to her brother. His last remaining pokemon alive."

Phineas let out a nervous laugh.

"That's some damning evidence then…" He said as he unlocked the door, and it swung open to reveal a staircase.

"Helen, Aura!" Hue called. "We got the door unlocked!"

Aura went through first, then Phineas, then Hue, then Helen.

Before Hue could go up the stairs...Helen reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Explain." She said as she pointed to the door.

"I don't get it…" Hue said.

Helen rolled her eyes. "How did you unlock this door?"  
"I'm not sure…" Hue said. "Maybe Phineas picked it somehow. It mostly him…"

"That's strange…" Helen said. "This door was fitted with an anti-picking mechanism. The only way to open it is from the inside...and if any of us had a pokemon that could use Teleport, we'd be using that instead."

Hue felt a little guilty.

Arthur knew Teleport, but transporting everyone outside of the pokemon center had worn the little guy out…

Of course, this new information did make the situation a bit strange. How did Phineas open that door?

Once everyone was on the roof of the building, Hue's feet froze up.

"Up in the clouds!" Aura called as she pointed up towards the very dark thunderclouds.

"Rhydon!" Helen yelled as she sent out her Rhydon.

"Donnnn!" Rhydon roared.

"Rhydon can act as a lightning rod…" Helen said. "But...if _that thing_ is involved, we might be in a bit over our heads…"

"That is one big bird…" Phineas nodded.

Hue gulped.

He pointed his pokedex at the bird in the thunderclouds.

"[Zapdos]." Dean stated. "The [Electric] Pokemon. One of the three legendary birds of Kanto, Zapdos has both electric and flying elements and the flappage of its wings creates lightning."

"There's a pokemon _that_ powerful?" Hue asked in disbelief.

"Zzzzzaaaa!" Zapods screeched as it flapped its wings and a giant lightning bolt struck Helen's Rhydon's horn.

"Rhyyydonnn…" Her Rhydon said as it was knocked back by the force of things.

"What's Zapdos doing here?" Helen wondered aloud, rather worried. "The legendary bird pokemon normally _avoid_ civilization and people!"

"Maybe Zapdos also senses danger?" Phineas asked hopefully.

As Hue looked at Zapdos, his eyes began to move around crazily fast, and his headache got even worse.

"Argh…" He recoiled in pain. "No, Phineas…" Hue said. "Zapdos _is_ the danger…"

"Doooosssss!" Zapdos screeched again as it flapped its wings and another lightning bolt hit Rhydon's horn.

"Rhyyydonnn…" Rhydon skidded back again.

"This is bad…" Helen said. "I don't think Rhydon can take much more of this…"

"But it's a ground type!" Hue said.

"That isn't an electric type attack…" Helen said. "Zapdos isn't aware that it's lighting is hitting Rhydon. It's just flying around."

"Zapdos is one dangerous pokemon then…" Hue said.

"Why would Zapdos be here though?" Phineas asked. "It obviously wouldn't come here on a whim…"

"It's heading towards the cemetery…" Hue said as he traced the path that the thunder clouds seemed to be taking.

"We should...oh my Arceus!" Hue looked on in disbelief as Aura was using her Wigglytuff as a balloon to float down towards the cemetery herself.

Crap...crap crap crap…

Aura wasn't supposed to go near the cemetery…

As far as Hue knew, NTR was still there…

"I need to get down there, before she does!" Hue exclaimed frantically.

"I'm busy up here!" Helen said without looking back at Hue or Phineas.

"Phineas, tell me you have a pokemon that can help me…" Hue pleaded.

Phineas nodded.

"Don't freak out…" He said as he grabbed Hue by the arm and took a running jump off of the roof.

Hue was freaking out on the inside.

He was going to die, wasn't he?

He braced himself for an unpleasant landing…

That never came.

He looked at Phineas who was still...running...in the air…

"Oh...you have _got_ to be kidding me…" Hue said.

"I can't believe I didn't see this coming with the way you were acting…"

"Eh heh…" Phineas laughed. "You know, Hue…." He said.

"I never _did_ introduce myself…"

"No…" Hue said, more out of disbelief of what he knew Phineas was going to say next.

"I'm Phineas Jones. Otherwise known as The Ghost of Lavender Town. You...You can call me PJ."


	23. NTR's (Pocket) Monsters

Chapter 23:

NTR's (Pocket) Monster!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Bite, Water Pulse

Ace(Pidgey): Mud-Slap, Gust, Quick Attack, Roost

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Arthur(Ralts): Confusion, Lucky Chant, Teleport, Disarming Voice

"PJ? But Aura thinks you're dead! What are you doing alive? And how are you running in the air like this?" Hue asked, more confused than he's been in a long time.

'PJ' and Hue rushed past Aura, who was still floating down towards the cemetery using Purin the Wigglytuff as a balloon.

"What the-?" Hue heard her gasp as she caught a glimpse of 'PJ', who she still only knew as Phineas right now, dragging Hue through the air.

"Alright…" 'PJ' said to Hue. "Now, when we touch the ground, I want you to roll forward like a somersault, got it?"

"Uh-huh…." Hue said, still unsure of everything that was happening.

As 'PJ' brought him to the ground, Hue did a somersault and rolled right into a tombstone.

"Owww…" He said, his voice muffled by the stone tablet.

"Sorry about that." 'PJ' said as he glided over to Hue. "I know you must be going through a lot right now."

Well, he wasn't _wrong_.

Ghosts weren't supposed to exist. What was this guy doing?

Hue would say he was really alive, but...he wasn't doing anything a normal person could do without the help of…

"Are….you….dead…?" Hue asked, nervously.

"Am I dead?" 'PJ' repeated the words back to Hue.

"Yes." He nodded. "But please don't freak out. I'm here to help you after all…"

"Help?" Hue raised an eyebrow.

He didn't see how someone who was dead would be much help against NTR…

"NTR is trying to use Zapdos's lightning to give life to the pokemon buried here in the cemetery." 'PJ' said.

"That…." Hue began. "Has to be the most complex and stupid plan that I've ever heard."

"Helen's Rhydon won't last much longer atop the radio tower." 'PJ' said, ignoring Hue's comment.

"When that happens, Zapdos's strike will hit Pokemon Tower's antenna, and it will send out a radio wave that will raise the pokemon in these graves back to the world of the living. I know it sounds convoluted but-"

"But nothing…" Hue said as he noticed an NTR grunt run around the side of Pokemon House, the building in the center of the cemetery. "All that matters is that NTR is here, and I need to stop them."

He took off running after the grunt, as his eyes moved around wildly and analyzed the situation in mere seconds.

His head began to throb with intense pain as well.

It hurt so much, but he needed to power through it.

"Hey!" Another grunt called from behind Hue, as he ran. "There's a kid back here!"  
Fuck, they'd found him.

"Gumshoe!" Hue called as he sent out Gumshoe, his Growlithe.

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe called.

"Gumshoe, you need to Dig me a tunnel to inside that house!"

"Growl!" Gumshoe howled as he began to dig a tunnel as fast as he could.

"Ah-hah!" The NTR Grunt said as he grabbed Hue's wrist.

"Caught you!"

Hue had a small flashback at that point.

There was a Dig hole in front of him…  
NTR was gripping him tightly by the wrist…

This was a lot like his recurring dream…

Think Hue, think. You obviously escaped the first time, how did you do that?

Back when Hue was six, the man had said that they wanted to run one more test on Hue…

but as far as Hue could remember, he only ever was given shots that single time…

"Why aren't you struggling?" The NTR grunt asked as he tightened his grip on Hue's wrist.

"Ace!" Hue yelped as he used his other hand to let his Pidgey out of her pokeball.

"Mud-Slap…"

"Pid-gey!" Ace cooed as she splashed mud into the face of the NTR grunt, who let go of Hue's wrist to clean his face.

"Well, that's clearly not how I escaped the first time…" Hue said as he returned Ace back into her pokeball.

"But this'll do for now…" He lunged into the Dig tunnel that Gumshoe had created.

"Oh, no you don't!" The NTR grunt yelled as he threw a pokeball of his own.

"Ekans, follow them!"

"Ekannnnsssss…."

A purple snake like pokemon began to follow Hue through the Dig tunnel until…

"Grab it!" A voice said, and Ekans was pulled up from the tunnel, and Hue saw Aura's face.

Purin, her Wigglytuff, was holding the Ekans by its tail.

"Aura!" He called. "You can't be here! I've been given orders to not let you inside the cemetery."

"Well, those rules have been broken already, Huey…" Aura said with a wink.

"If we're gonna play rulebreakers, we might as well make the most of the freedom while we have it!"

Hue couldn't quite argue with that.

"Just don't do anything too reckless…" He said.

Aura jumped down into the Dig tunnel with him.

"Alright then." She said. "I guess I'll just tag along with you."

"Can Purin handle himself up there?" Hue wondered, as he said it, Purin walked up to the Dig tunnel and held up an unconscious Ekans.

"Wiggly!" He said, proud of himself.

"We've been training ever since he lost in Cerulean." Aura said. "He's almost at Karakara's level of strength now."

"What about the NTR Grunt up there?" Hue asked.

"He'll probably run for backup…" Aura said. "But Phineas ought to be able to keep him at bay...what pokemon was he using to move through the air like that, by the way?"

"Oh uh...it was a Haunter…" Hue lied on the spot. "It grabbed both of us and descended down the radio tower…"

Aura gave Hue a look that told him that she clearly didn't buy it.

"I see…" She said.

Hue couldn't tell her that somehow her dead brother was back...If she didn't believe him, she'd get mad at him for making such a poor joke, and if she _did_ believe him...well, that just didn't bode well.

Something told Hue Aura would be rather sad leaving Lavender Town if she knew the truth about 'PJ'…

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe said as he began to hit concrete.

"Good job, Gumshoe…" Hue said as he returned his Growlithe.

"They went into that tunnel!" Hue heard an NTR grunt say as shadowy figures dropped into the far end of the tunnel.

"Karakara!" Aura called as she sent out her Cubone.

"Cuuuu…" Karakara said.

"Use Bone Club to break through that concrete!"

She turned to Hue.

"Huey, can you hold off those guys back there?"

"I sure can." Hue said as he threw a pokeball.

"Douglas! Rapid Spin!"

"Warrrrtortle!" Douglas yelled as he spun around and hit all the NTR grunts like bowling pins.

"Strike!" Hue called.

"Wartortle!" Douglas stood up and gave a fist pump, proud of himself.

"Bone…" Karakara seemed to roll her eyes.

"Now Douglas, get back here and use Water Pulse on the ground of the tunnel to slow them all down even further!"

"Tortle!" Douglas said as he ran back to Hue and used Water Pulse on the ground of the tunnel, creating some very thick mud.

"Perfect." Hue said as he patted Douglas on the head. "Great job, buddy."

"Wartorrrrr…" Douglas purred affectionately.

"Way to go, Huey." Aura beamed. "Now we just have to enter the house itself!"

"It took a lot of men to get Zapdos to fly in your direction…" The man in the white suit said as he talked to the head NTR agent via a tv screen on the wall of Pokemon House. They were using hijacked radio waves to do this..

"You better be correct in your hypothesis about raising these pokemon from their graves. A few other players of this game are already on their way to stop you…"

"S-sir." The head NTR agent said as he gave a salute. "I am positive that the plan will succeed. Within the next five minutes, Zapdos should fly directly overhead the radio tower, and ought to strike its antenna. And I'm more than prepared to deal with any pesky trainers."

"Oh, these players may be pesky…" The man in white said. "But I'd urge you to not underestimate either of them. They're making this game rather interesting. I must give the young Jones credit. I did not expect her to be able to control Subject 4's movements like that. Our intel agent told us that they had planned to go to Saffron City."

"Wait...you're talking about Subject 4?" The head NTR agent asked. "The Subject 4 from the DNA Projects? The one that-"

"Yes." The man in white nodded. "I'm talking about that very same Subject 4. Now listen up, because I'm only going to say this once."

"Yeah?" The NTR agent asked.  
"Lightning never strikes the same place twice." The man in white said. "Zapdos's lighting is no exception. Once its lightning hits the radio tower, you'll have to make do with however much power you can manage. Because you won't get another chance. In addition, because the pokemon will be undead, once they lose consciousness, they will not be able to regain it."

"Sir, that shouldn't be much of a problem sir!" The NTR agent said.

"The team at the Power Plant informed us that Zapdos was flying our way in its peak health condition. There isn't a trainer strong enough to stand up in battle against such a powerful pokemon."

"I wonder…" The man in white said with a knowing smile. "You've been valuable piece in this game, Admin Nox." He said. "Do your best to remain that way."

"S-sir!" NTR Admin Nox gave a bow as the man in white disappeared from the screen, and it went back to being an electronic map of Kanto.

"Rhydon!" Helen called as wind began to pick up more at the top of Pokemon Tower. "We aren't going to be able to stop Zapdos from hitting the antenna by just taking the hits!"

"Rhydonnn…" Helen's Rhydon said, as it took another lightning bolt from Zapdos.

"Urgh…" Helen gave an exasperated sigh as she took off her jacket, revealing all eight badges of the Kanto region.

"I can't believe I'm doing this again…Rhydon! Use Stone Edge on Zapdos!"

"Don?" Rhydon asked, bewildered.

"I know, I know I said that we wouldn't try doing this again, not since last time...but...We need to at least weaken it! I don't know why, but I feel like its important that Zapdos be stalled for as much time as possible!"

"Rhydon." Helen's Rhydon nodded, solemnly, as it created a barrage of stones and shot them all at Zapdos.

"Dooossss!" Zapdos shrieked as it was hit with the Stone Edge. It turned to look at Helen and Rhydon.

"Zap….Dosssss!" It screamed as a heavy downpour began to rain down over all of Lavender Town.

"Rhydon…" Rhydon looked at Helen, worried.

"Don…" It pointed to a pokeball hidden in Helen's jacket.

"No...Rhydon, You know I can't use that…" Helen said.

"I'm keeping that safe, remember?"

"Rhydon!" Rhydon roared.

"Dosss!" Zapdos sent a Zap Cannon towards Rhydon, and while Rhydon wasn't affected by any actual damage, it was knocked back quite a few feet.

"Donnnn…" Rhydon said as it almost fell off the tower, but Helen was able to pull it back onto the roof.

"Are you okay, Rhydon?" Helen asked.

"Don." Rhydon nodded.

Helen looked back at Zapdos.

"Zapdos." Helen spoke directly to it, as she took out the hidden pokeball in her jacket. It was a dark purple in color, and had two dark red circle designs on either side of a white M.

Any trainer in the know would be able to recognize it as a Master Ball.

"I'm breaking a very important promise by doing this…but in order to keep the peace in Lavender town…"

She threw the Master Ball through the air. "I'm going to catch you!" She yelled.

As the Master Ball hit Zapdos's wing, it was sent right back at Helen, who managed to catch the ball and put it back in her jacket, as she put her jacket back on, covering all her badges back up.

"Dos!" Zapdos called.

Helen's eyes froze, as did her Rhydon's.

"Rhydon…" Helen said, nervously.

"Zapdos….it's…."

"Don…" Rhydon nodded, equally as frightened by the results of Helen's attempt.

"It's already been caught!" Helen said as Zapdos sent another Zap Cannon.

This Zap Cannon hit Helen herself, square in the chest, and she toppled over the edge of the tower, and began to fall.

"Rhydon!" Helen's Rhydon grabbed her arm.

"Thank you, Rhydon…" Helen said.

No sooner had the words left her mouth, then the two noticed that Zapdos had descended all the way to where Rhydon was.

"Dos." It squawked as it's beak began to spin like a drill and it Drill Pecked Rhydon off of the tower.

"Wahhh!" Helen screamed as she and Rhydon started falling.

"Donnnn!" Rhydon said as it curled itself around Helen, to block her fall.

"Rhydon…" It said as it closed its eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Rhydon…" Helen said as she closed her eyes as well. "I should have been more careful…"

The two braced for a landing on hard ground, but instead landed on something incredibly soft like a large mattress.

"Snorrrrrrrr…" The Snorlax said as it absorbed the fall from the two of them without a problem.

"Damn." Justin said as he walked up to Helen and Rhydon.

"You're lucky the power came back on when it did, Loner Chick. Otherwise Snorlax and I would have been too late, and then we'd all be in situations we'd rather not be in."

"I didn't have you pegged as a life saving type…" Helen said.

"Yeah well…" Justin looked away. "It's not the first time I've been responsible for saving lives. You really thought I wouldn't recognize you?"

"Recognize me?" Helen asked.

Justin nodded. "You might be able to fool anyone else, but you can't fool me. I was there too you know."

Helen gulped.

"You mean, you were also…"

"Yeah…" Justin looked away again. "I was also a victim of _that incident_ eight years ago. Snorlax was only a Munchlax back then…" He looked back at Helen. "Do you really think I wouldn't recognize the girl that came up with the plan to get us all out of there? I always thought that you would have joined the police force or something."

"I could never do that…" Helen said. "I'm too busy between training, coordinating, and my journey to find those four kids…"

"You're talking about the ones that we think might have been in the lower floor's cells…"

"Yeah…" Helen said with a nod.

"I need to find all of them...otherwise...I won't be able to forgive myself for my oversight. I should have listened to that one boy that night…

He said he heard voices...and I need to find each one of those kids that were retrieved from the wreckage and apologize to each of them…"

"You shouldn't worry about it that much. Only one of those kids was around our age anyway. The other three probably don't remember any of that stuff."

"I hope that Stone Edge weakened Zapdos enough that nothing too bad happens…" Helen said, looking up at Pokemon Tower.

Justin returned Snorlax, and Helen and Rhydon dropped to the ground.

"Agh!" Helen said. "Give a warning at least…"

"No." Justin said. "What the fuck did you just say? We're dealing with _Zapdos_?"

"Just a little more...there!" Aura said as Karakara finally broke through the floor of Pokemon House, and Aura helped Karakara, Hue, and Douglas up into the building.

"Ah-hah…" NTR Admin Nox said as he welcomed Hue and Aura into the Pokemon House.

"That's quite the entrance you've made...but now we have you surrounded. In about thirty seconds, Zapdos's lightning will hit the antenna atop pokemon tower and all the pokemon in this house will rise from their graves. You're too late."

"No! We won't let you get away with this!" Aura said, her eyes shooting bullets, rather than daggers.

All Hue could think of was how completely idiotic this plan was to begin with.

"I'm sorry…" He said. "But...I have to ask... _really_? Like, _really_? You're really planning to _raise the dead_?"

"Doooossssss!" A screech echoed throughout the building, as lights began to flicker violently.

"It looks like it's starting!" Admin Nox said. "Don't worry sir, I'll make you proud!"

"You've gotta be kidding me…." Hue said.

"Yes!" Admin Nox yelled as the concrete in the house began to break. "Rise, my undead pokemon. Return to the realm of the living, my army!"

Moans could be heard from under the floor, and out came…

A Marowak...and a Lapras...and...nothing else...

"Only two pokemon?" Hue asked, actually a little underwhelmed.

Was this whole thing just some giant distraction for him? Was there something more important happening outside or something?

"Gahh!" Admin Nox appeared to also not be expecting such a low turnout. "No, that isn't right! He looked at a laptop that he had on the floor. "We should have enough power for all the pokemon in the cemetery...what could have happened to Zapdos?"

 _Helen_. Hue thought. It must have been her doing…

"Well, it looks like the tables have turned…" Hue said with a grin.

"Right Aura?"

"...Huey…" Aura said…"Remember what I said...about why Karakara should come to Lavender Town?"

"Yeah, because her-"

Oh.

Uh-oh.

"Wait, you mean...out of _all_ the pokemon to raise from the dead, the only two that NTR was able to bring back were-?"

"Those are most definitely Karakara's deceased parents." Aura said. "Her mother, the Marowak, and her father, the Lapras…"

"Is she going to be okay?"

"She'll be fine." 'PJ' said as he just fucking materialized inside the house.

Karakara's face lit up as she ran to 'PJ', and jumped into his arms.

"Hey…" He said with a smile. "It's been a while!"

"Huey?" Aura asked. "W-what's going on?"

"Well…." Hue tried to make out the situation. It was quite hard with his piercing headache, but he seemed to be able to piece everything together.

"If Karakara was your brother's pokemon…" Hue said. "Then she's probably happy to see him...or at least the image of him, again. I still don't buy it. Even with pokemon zombies, ghosts don't exist...but there's no denying that the boy in front of us has the same face and name as your older brother…"

"PJ?" Aura asked as her eyes started to water. "You're….alive?"

"Sorry…." 'PJ' said. "I'm no longer of this world. I wish I could tell you who my murderer was, but I _can_ tell you the pokemon they used to do the deed."

"Wh-which one?"

"It was Mewtwo. They were controlling a Mewtwo….somehow…" 'PJ' smiled. "Aura….please, I won't stop you from any sort of avenging you plan to do. That's what makes you you after all, but please, I urge you to think about something very carefully. Think about what would _truly_ make you happy. After all, I'm dead, and nothing will change that..."

"PJ…." Aura's eyes were shaking as tears streamed down her face.

'PJ' just gave her a smile.

He set Karakara down. "Karakara...those two pokemon there...they aren't really your mother and father. Those pokemon are evil monsters that are using your mother's and father's bodies to do bad things...and you know what we do to monsters?"

"Bone!" Karakara nodded as she raised her bone and walked into the center of the field to face the Marowak and the Lapras.

"Hue…" 'PJ' turned to him. "Aura's a little...preoccupied right now." He pointed to Aura, who was sobbing on the concrete floor, hugging a nearby tombstone. "It's up to you to help Karakara fight this battle."

Hue still didn't quite have 'PJ' quite figured out, but he did know that both Aura and Karakara needed him right now.

He gave a consenting, and determined nod. This was what he became a trainer for after all. To fight for those who were unable to.

"Wartortle." Douglas said as he put a hand on Karakara's shoulder and smiled at her.

"Tortle." He gave a nod.

"Bone…." Karakara raised her bone, and for a second Hue thought she was going to bonk Douglas on the head again, but instead…

"Cuuubone!" Karakara yelled as she flung the bone at the Lapras.

"That's not Bonemerang…" Hue said, realizing that the bone wasn't coming back.

"[Fling]." Dean stated. "A [Dark] Type move. The user flings its held object at the target, dealing damage based on how heavy the object is."

"That bone is pretty heavy…" Hue said. He looked at Douglas. "But I know something heavier!"

"Tortle!" Douglas nodded.

He was on the same page as Hue.

"Lapras!" Nox yelled. "Perish Song, let's go!"

If they were already dead...would Perish Song be effective on Lapras and Marowak as well?

Hue doubted he was that lucky...

"Uh…" He wasn't quite sure what a Perish Song would do if it was used by a pokemon that was already sort of dead…

"Tortle!" Douglas gave Hue a knowing nod.

"Protect!" Hue yelled and Douglas created a green forcefield, which encompassed both him and Karakara.

"Yes!" Hue cheered.

"No!" Nox wailed.

"Now, Douglas, Withdraw!" Hue called. "Karakara, use Fling to send him flying towards Lapras!"

Douglas withdrew into his shell and Karakara picked him up, and tossed him straight at the Lapras.

They needed to gang up on this pokemon. Marowak would be easy to deal with, but as long as there was a Water and Ice type out there, Karakara was at a disadvantage.

Douglas was sent flying towards the Lapras at full speed.

Time for Hue's tried and true strategy.

"Now Douglas!" Hue called, "Use Bite on its horn, and Rapid Spin to spin it around like a giant disc!"

"Tortle!" Douglas yelled as he bit onto Lapras's horn and used Rapid Spin to spin the large pokemon around.

"Douglas, let it go towards Karakra, and Karakara, catch it and use its momentum to Fling it into Marowak!"

"Warrrrrr!" Douglas yelled as he let go of the Lapras and sent it flying towards Karakara.

"Bonnnne…" The impact from Lapras had Karakara skid back, but she was able to catch it, thanks to both her hands being free. She pivoted thirty degrees and used Lapras's momentum to Fling it into Marowak, causing Marowak to drop her own bone as Lapras rammed into her.

"Cuuu!" Karakara jumped up and grabbed her deceased mother's bone, to use as her own weapon.

"Let's finish them off!" Hue said. "Karakara, use Bonemerang with your new weapon!"

"Cuuuuuuuu!" Karakara brought her bone back...and dropped it.

"Bone…." Karkara knelt down on the floor.

Hue understood that Karakara was probably having a hard time dealing a final, permanent blow to her parents...even if they were just empty corpses being manipulated by Neo Team Rocket…

"Diglett…" The last voice Hue wanted to hear at that moment said.

"You take care of it. Fissure."

"Diglett!" Carmen's Diglett created an enormous crack in the floor of the house that both Marowak and Lapras fell through before it closed back up.

Carmen gave Hue a menacing look, "I'll deal with you later." She said.

She turned to Nox. "Admin Theodore Nox, I presume." Carmen raised her large red hat, and took one of her hands out of her red trench coat. "Detective Yiddle of the Kanto Police Department. You're under arrest for theft, larceny, assault, and involvement with criminal organization activity. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in court."

And with that...the storm outside cleared up. Zapdos must have gone back to wherever it usually lives, Hue thought.

"It's over." Carmen said. "Come quietly, and you'll escape capital punishment."

"Very well…" Admin Nox sighed as he held out his hands. "I have no pokemon of my own to battle with. I only joined NTR as a scientist."

"Take it up with your attorney." Carmen said.

"I hope you're happy with yourself!" Carmen scolded Hue as policemen came to take a bunch of NTR Grunts away. "Not only did I tell you to _avoid_ Lavender Town entirely, I told you _on top of that_ to not let Aura into the cemetery! You broke _both_ rules! And look at all the damage you caused to Pokemon House!"

She pointed to the tombstones all over the place, and the giant hole that Gumshoe and Karakara had created so that Hue and Aura could get into the area.

"You're incredibly lucky to even still be alive! I mean, _Zapdos_? I didn't realize you had a death wish!"

"I...don't…" Hue said, looking away. Maybe if he let Carmen yell, she'd just give up and leave.

He was incorrect.

"Well, you were warned and you didn't listen." Carmen said. "I'm going to have to confiscate your Growlithe."

"N-no!" Aura said, who was in a shock blanket. "It isn't Huey's fault that I went to the cemetery, It's mine! So...I'll just...I'll…"

She was definitely hesitant to say it.

"What if I just agree to no longer travel with Huey? He put himself in danger because of me…"

Hue didn't know why, but he thought was even worse than getting Gumshoe taken away.

"No!" Hue said. "I shouldn't have brought you to Lavender Town in the first place. Blame falls on me. I also could have kept you in the pokemon center, away from the cemetery, but I decided against that as well!"

He actually _had_ tried to keep her in the Pokemon Center, but he might as well use the situation to his advantage.

He turned to Carmen. "If you're going to punish me, do it the way you said you would and take Gumshoe away."

"Very well." Carmen said as she snatched Gumshoe's pokeball from Hue.

"Hubert Swanson, I hereby strip you of your ba-"

"Hold on a second!" Helen, who was also in a shock blanket, yelled as she rushed up to Carmen.

"Yiddle, I swear to Arceus that if you try to punish this boy for _your_ oversight, I'm going straight to the Chief of Detectives with this!"

" _My_ oversight?" Carmen asked.

"Yes!" Helen yelled. "I was with both of these kids, and they didn't get your messages until they were in the Pokemon Center in Lavender Town! If you really thought that it was too dangerous to send them, you should have taken responsibility and gotten them out of here yourself!"

"Ugh, you're so _infuriating_!" Carmen said she shoved her hands into her trench coat and tossed Gumshoe's pokeball back to Hue.

"Fine, keep your position and your Growlithe...but you're walking a dangerously thin line Swanson.."

Carmen turned to Helen.

"Lang, why can't you just _join_ us? You're getting closer and closer to becoming a vigilante every day. If a time comes when I have to arrest you for it, I will, you know."

"I'm sorry." Helen said. "But I want to find them on my own. Without the police's help. They'd feel more comfortable if I was talking to them as a trainer anyway."

Carmen gave Hue a quick look.

"How many have you found?" She asked Helen.

"So far…" Helen said. "None...but I know that at least one of them is fighting NTR."

"One of what?" Hue asked.

"Not what…" Carmen said. " _Whom_."

"Yiddle's right." Helen said. "I'm looking for four people. Three of them are around your age according to the records. The fourth one should be closer to my age."

"Oh," Hue said. He shrugged. It was probably best not to get involved. After all, Helen didn't want the Police Department's help for whatever reason. "Well, I hope you find who you're looking for."

"Thanks." Helen said.

While everyone was being questioned about the events that happened, Hue found a time to sneak away. He looked south towards Route 12. That's the area that he and Aura would head down once she was done answering the police's questions. From he'd been told, Route 12 was mostly water, save for a large bridge and a few islands. Douglas would probably like it there.

"What are you thinking about?" 'PJ' asked, startling the everloving crap out of Hue.

"Gah!" Hue jumped.

"What are you doing here?"

"Just...saying sorry…" 'PJ' said. "You...you're right you know. I'm _not_ PJ."

"Yeah…" Hue said. "I knew you weren't. Ghosts don't exist."

"That's right." The boy who wasn't PJ said. "But you were also wrong. I _am_ PJ. Or I guess I should say that I _was a part of him_."

A part of him? Hue didn't get any of this.

"You...who _are_ you?" Hue asked.

"I'm not PJ. I used to be, along with Aura's brother. We used to make up Phineas Jones, but, he was killed, and I was spared."

Hue still wasn't getting of this.

"I'm sorry, but could you please give me a straight answer?" Hue asked. "I'm not getting any of this."

"If I'm not human…" The thing that wasn't PJ said. "And I'm not a ghost...what could I be?" He asked with a grin. "Aura's already figured it out by now. In fact, she's already given you a hint. Think back to when you met in Pallet Town. About everything that happened. Did she do anything.. _odd_?"

"How am I supposed to remember that?" Hue asked.

"Think about what the big boss of NTR did for you in Mt. Moon…" The thing that wasn't PJ said. "Are you quite getting the picture?"

Hue gulped.

"I...think I am…" Hue said. "But if you really are a…...then...wouldn't I also have-?"

"One way to find out." The thing that wasn't PJ said.

Trembling, Hue took out Dean, his pokedex, and held it up to the thing that wasn't PJ.

"[Unknown Pokemon]" Dean said in his robotic voice. "No Data."

"Wait, that's impossible!" Hue shouted into his pokedex. "You should be able to identify any pokemon!"

If it was a human, the pokedex wouldn't react at all, so Hue could rule that out…

"It seems that NTR's big boss wasn't completely honest with you." The strange pokemon said as it disappeared from Hue's vision.

Hue felt heavy in the head.

If...If that thing was a pokemon…

It said it was a part of PJ…

If that was the case…

did Hue have a pokemon inside of him?

Trembling, Hue brought Dean around to scan himself.

"[Unknown Pokemon]" Dean said in the same voice he used to identify everything.

"No Data."


	24. Happy Birthday Aura!

Chapter 24:

Happy Birthday Aura!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Bite, Water Pulse

Ace(Pidgey): Mud-Slap, Gust, Quick Attack, Roost

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Arthur(Ralts): Confusion, Lucky Chant, Teleport, Disarming Voice

"How...how long have you known?"

That was the question that was asked on the morning of the 24th of October.

There was no answer.

"I'll ask again." Aura said as she stared down Hue with her dagger shooting death stare. "How long have you known that today was my birthday?"

"It was uploaded with all your contact info into my pokedex back when we had our first battle in Pallet Town." Hue said, solemnly, still suffering from his recent discovery of some sort of pokemon inside him. "That's why I've decided that today, I'm going to throw you a birthday party."

Aura raised an eyebrow. "And how do you expect to do that?"

Hue shrugged. He didn't really know.

All he really wanted to do was take his mind of the truth bomb that he had just been told.

"Give me all your pokemon." Hue said, thinking. "We'll go through the day doing various things with each of both our pokemon, and when we're done with the day, I managed to get a recipe from Freddie for a dish that I'm sure you'll love."

"This all seems a little…excessive…" Aura said blushing. "I'm turning 15...I don't find it that special…"

Wait, she was turning 15? As in...she was older than Hue?

And here he thought he was the older one.

It turns out he was only the more mature one…

"Well, it's your birthday so it is special." Hue said as Aura handed him her pokeballs. "It won't happen again for a whole year. Just this one day out of the year. I'll do what you tell me to without a second thought."

"Oooh…" Aura gave a sly smile that both made Hue blush and creeped him out a bit. "Alright then Huey…" She chimed. "Throw me my best birthday party ever!"

1st Event: Swimming:

"Kodu and Douglas worked together to clear the water of any pokemon that might attack us." Hue said as he led a towel-draped Aura out to the sea. "It's the perfect place for a nice and relaxing swim!"

"Interesting…" Aura said. "But um….I don't know if I'm comfortable...uh...revealing my swimsuit to you…" She turned away and bit her nail.

"I'm sure you look great in it…" Hue said with a smile. "Just-"

Aura nodded and took off her towel cloak.

….

"I see…" Hue said, as he realized the real issue with Aura's embarrassment. "You know my younger sister also likes swimsuits based off of pokemon. Especially cute ones like the Eevee one you're wearing…"

"That doesn't help!" Aura said with her face still red. "I know it's a kid design okay? It's just…."

"It's fine!" Hue said. "Come on, let's go into the water! That's the real best way to hide your swimsuit if you're that embarrassed by it."

The two of them stepped into the ocean water.

"It's c-c-cold…" Aura said as she clung to Hue's arm. "I d-d-don't do well in the cold…"

"The trick is to completely submerge yourself right away." Hue said as he quickly dove under the water and surfaced again.

"Warrrr!" Douglas cannonballed off of the bridge, and began to splash at Hue with a smile.

"Wartortle! War!"

"Hahaha, cut it out buddy!" Hue said laughing.

"Duck." Kodu came out of her pokeball and tugged on Aura's legs. "Psyyyy….duuuuck…." She was trying her hardest to push Aura further into the water.

"Come on Aura!" Hue called. "Standing there will only make it worse…"

"I'm not so sure about this anymore…" Aura said. "I mean...uhh…."

"Psyduck!" Kodu's eyes began to glow and Aura began to rise up in the air.

"Gyaah!" She screamed, genuinely surprised by the turn of events, which was rare. "Kodu, I get that you helped plan this part of the party but- Gyahhh!"

Kodu dropped Aura in the ocean right near Hue.

"Agggggghh…" Aura shivered as she surfaced. "N-now it's cold everywhere!"

She clung to Hue's arm again.

"Aura, not that I mind the clinging, especially on your birthday, but I might not be the safest person to cling to at this moment…" Hue said.

"Oh no…" Aura looked up as the sun was blocked by something.

That something was Douglas's shell. he was about to attempt another cannonball.

"Torrrtle!" He screamed as he shot a friendly Water Pulse at both Hue and Aura.

"No!" Aura shrieked as she hid behind Hue.

It did not do her any good.

"C-can we move on to a d-different event?" She asked.

"Sure thing…" Hue said, a little bummed that the whole 'swimming' thing hadn't gone quite as planned.

2nd Event: Carnival Games:

"Arthur, Purin, and Koko have all helped me design carnival games for you." Hue said.

He would have taken her to a real carnival, but Lavender Town certainly didn't have one, and Vermillion was still a long ways away.

"Oooh!" Aura's eyes lit up. "Are you going to win me any stuffed animals?"

Hue laughed. "We'd have to head to Fuchsia City to get any stuffed animals that I'm at liberty to give away…"

"That's a shame then…" Aura said. "I really do like stuffed animals and plush dolls and the sort. Perhaps you should remember that the next time I have a birthday."

Hue looked around and noticed something in the Route 12 Gate. "Well, you have three games to try, and I left instructions with each pokemon hosting each game. I'll be right back. I'm just going to deal with something really quickly…"

Aura sighed and nodded.

"It better be important if it warrants leaving me alone at the birthday party you planned for me."

She mumbled as Hue left her earshot.

She might as well start with Arthur.

"Guess the real Ralts…" She read on the instruction card. "Guess correctly and choose your reward."

Arthur instantly used Double Team, and there were 20 Ralts surrounding Aura.

"Oh my Arceus…" She said looking around.

"Is it...you?" She asked as she walked towards one of the Ralts.

No it wasn't.

This was somehow even less fun that the botched swimming attempt.

"Let's move on…" Aura said to herself as she headed towards Purin, her Wigglytuff.

Purin was happily standing on some strange pedestal, with a scale behind him. He gave Aura wink.

"Wigglytuff!"

"Test your strength?" Aura asked as she read the instructions. "See how far you can launch Purin…"

"This carnival is a test of my patience…" Aura rolled her eyes.

Still though, she was happy overall with it. Huey clearly didn't know what he was doing, but at least he was trying…

Aura swung down the mallet that Hue had left and hit the button near her feet. Purin then inhaled a bunch of air and began to float up the scale. Once he reached the top, he let all the air out and shouted.

"Wigggglyyyyyyyy!" He yelled. "Tuff! Tuff! Wigglytuff!"

As he dropped down, he took out small box that had been wrapped rather poorly.

"A...present?" Aura asked.

Purin nodded. "Wigglytuff!"

Aura grabbed the small box and unwrapped it.

"Fishing lures?" Aura asked, at first a little bewildered.

But her eyes widened upon closer examination.

There were five fishing lures in all, each in the shape of a pokemon in her party.

"Awww…." She said. "Now I want to catch another water type pokemon with these…"

Okay, time to move onto the last game of this... carnival...

"Drill!" Koko buzzed as she shot a Twineedle at a few balloons that had been stuck to a wall using static.

The two balloons popped, and Koko pointed towards a small chest with five darts in it.

"Dart toss…" Aura read. "Pop as many balloons as you can using these five darts. The more you pop the better your prize…"

Aura shrugged again.

Silly Huey… He might as well have dumped all his money in the ocean.

Aura popped five balloons with expert ease.

Her prize was…

"A coupon to force Huey to buy any one thing I see that I want?" Aura smirked as she looked at the paper.

Well, the carnival was over…

Thank Arceus for that.

Aura had been worried for a while that Hue would come back with a for her, but thankfully that wasn't the case.

He arrived from the Route 12 Gate with absolutely nothing.

"Okay…" He said. "I took care of what I needed to take care of. Shall we move on?"

Aura nodded.

3rd Event: Mock Duck Hunt:

" Ace is busy flying around low towards the grass…" Hue said. "Gumshoe is waiting down below to catch her if you can hit her, and Fushi and his Bullet Seed move will act as you ammunition."

Aura called out Bullet Seed once, and Ace fell to the ground.

Gumshoe caught her and Hue returned her. "That's a pokemon center visit in the future." He said. "Alright Aura. Ready for-"

No...Huey stop...Why didn't you get it? Aura didn't want anything special for her birthday!

"Huey...I'm having fun just traveling with you…" Aura said. "This party….I don't know...It feels awkward….kind of forced…"

"It's super last minute…" Hue said, looking ashamed to admit it. "What with the whole Lavender Town fiasco, I didn't have time to accurately plan everything out…"

He hung his head.

"I'll understand if you want to stop because your not having fun…I just wish I could give you the birthday that you wanted…"

"I'm fine Huey." Aura smiled. "Let's just go get some dinner and maybe next time, though the thought was adorable, hopefully my birthday won't feel like a pokemon planned the entire thing…"

A pokemon planned the entire thing…

Hue thought to himself.

He thought back to what Dean had said when he scanned himself. "[Unknown Pokemon]...No Data…" Hue mumbled.

Aura raised a surprised eyebrow.

"That's what the pokedex said I was…" Hue said looking away. "And...I know that you've known about this…"

"Is that why you've been acting weird all day?" Aura asked. "You're just worried about that?"

"Why did you keep it from me?" Hue asked in a bit of raised voice.

He didn't want to raise his voice, not on Aura's birthday, but he needed to know…

He needed to know what she was thinking…

"Huey…" Aura rolled her eyes and stared him down with her dark and piercing green ones. "You aren't some strange pokemon. You're 100 percent human. You just happen to have some sort of pokemon using your body as some sort of vessel…"

"So I'm being possessed?" Hue asked, confused.

"No!" Aura said rather forcefully. "You're sharing a body with another being. You're in control most of the time though. When your eyes start to move all over the place, and you can analyze stuff quickly, that's when whatever is inside you is being given more power. That's why your head hurts at varying levels whenever you use that ability. It's the pokemon trying to take over completely."

Hue didn't exactly like the answer, but he was still happy he got it.

"I'm sorry for snapping…" He sighed. "And don't worry. We're still a team. I do love to travel with you after all."

He knew hearing that would make Aura smile, but he also meant that he loved traveling with just about anyone. The last thing he wanted was to be left all alone now, while he had some semi-violent creature inside him.

Final Event: Special Food:

"Only one...well...one and a half I guess…" Hue began to mumble.

"Just hurry up and say it Huey." Aura smiled as she waited patiently at the table that had been set up.

"Only one pokemon helped me make this for you." Hue decided to not include whatever the fuck was inside of him. "Karakara has been diligently helping me with this all day…"

"Cubone!" Karakara smiled at Aura from her lap.

"I'm sure it'll be delicious…" Aura smiled. "What is-oh my Arceus…"

Hue was bringing out a triple layer chocolate cake with 15 candles in it.  
"Happy Birthday to you…" He began to sing. "Happy Birthday to you…"

All of Aura's and Hue's pokemon began to join in as Aura squealed into her hakama.

Hue wasn't sure, but it looked like this might have been the first time she ever was made a cake for her birthday...

After the very noisy happy birthday song ended, Hue set the cake down in front of Aura.

"It's the cake! You made the 'Thank-You' cake!" She exclaimed excitedly.

"Well, I couldn't think of a more appropriate way to thank you…" Hue said as he felt himself go red.

"Except maybe…" He reached into his bag and took out two wrapped gifts. One of them was rather small, and amorphous, and upon picking it up, one could hear various clattering. The other one was large and soft to the touch.

"That small one…" Hue said. "Couldn't have been possible without the help of Kodu and Douglas. So that's a gift from all of us to you."

He pointed to the larger one.

"That large one there though...that's from me alone, as another thank you."

Aura was about to open the presents when Hue stopped her.

"Wait a second." He laughed. "Make a wish first."

"A wish?" Aura asked. She looked around nervously. "I...I never really...was able to celebrate my birthday before, so..."

"See the candles on the cake?" Hue pointed to them. "If make a silent wish, and blow out all 15 candles in one breath, then your wish is said to come true."

Aura gave a sly grin.

She clearly knew what she was wishing for.

She took a breath, and blew.

One by one, each of the 15 candles flickered and died out.

"Great job." Hue smiled. "Okay, now you can open the presents."

Aura nodded and went straight for the small one first.

She took out a beautiful Pearl necklace. It seemed to be created entirely of Big Pearls.

She instantly put it on and brought everyone in together for a giant group hug.

"It's so pretty!" She said. "I love it! Thank you guys!"

"There's another item in that bag." Hue said.

Aura held the bag upside down.

A Sun Stone fell out.

"You know why I gave you that." Hue gave Aura a knowing smile. "I bet that's the pokemon you're really after."

Aura nodded to show that Hue was right. "I'm going to catch it next!" She stated enthusiastically.

"But...Let's move on to your present, Huey…" She said as she turned towards Hue's large present.

As she opened it, it became increasingly obvious that this was a pokemon plush doll, but it certainly didn't feel like any Kanto pokemon…

"What is this?" Aura asked as she took out what looked to be two swords crossing over each other. "I mean, it looks cool but…I just don't know what it is…"

"It's called a Doublade." Hue said. "I thought it was a pretty good way to represent how we're two partners on the same team. Two different entities, but at the same time One...I guess…"

Hue was stammering over himself.

"I guess I'm just trying to say...I'm not going anywhere...you know...and, even though you can sometimes be a bit...much, you're a fun person...so I'll still be there to travel with you...even after the pokemon league...no matter who wins it…"

"Uh-huh…" Aura said with a sly grin.

"So you're saying I...complete you? I'm...your better half?"

Hue rolled his eyes. "See this is why I didn't want to have to explain the reasoning. You'd do this…"

"Whatever." Aura rolled her eyes over a cheerful smile. "I know you secretly like it."

Oh shit, she knows?

"Well reading that expression, now I definitely know you like it." She gave Hue a wink. "Huey."

"Just...take your doll off the table and eat your cake already…"

Aura took her plush Doublade off of the table, and began to eat her slice of cake as Hue took his own slice.

Hue felt a tugging on his leg. He looked down.

It was Karakara.

"Hey girl…" Hue said. "We can't give you this cake...go eat your pokemon food if you're hungry."

Karakara shook her head. "Bone." She said as Douglas walked up next to her.

"Tortle." He gave Hue the most knowing, and menacing stare that Hue had ever received, and he traveled with Aura so he received a lot…

The two pokemon walked toward Hue, causing him to back up rather cautiously.

"I know I fed you guys…" Hue said. "I can see the others eating…What do you two want?"

"Cubone…"

"Wartortle…"

They looked at each other, and nodded.

The two of them turned Hue around and shoved him forwards.

"Aura lookout!" Hue called to Aura, who turned around just in time to see Hue falling towards her.

"Gya-" She began to scream before both she had Hue took a tumble off of the table.

*Smooch*

"OH My Arceus!" Hue said as he got up faster than a Quick Attack, his face more red than the top of a pokeball. "I am so sorry about that! I am so sorry. Are you okay?"

"I...I'm fine…" Aura said as she got to her feet, also blushing heavily. "That was just an...unfortunate accident. Let's forget it happened…"

"Y-yeah…" Hue agreed. Though, considering how even though it was an accident, it was still his first kiss...Hue had a tough time convincing himself that he'd be able to forget about it that easily.

Thankfully, this incredibly awkward and tense situation really would never be talked about again. At least for a long time anyway.

As the two retired to their sleeping bags for the night, Aura grabbed her new Doublade doll and used it as a second pillow, and thought of how all in all, she had a very fun birthday this year.

Her favorite part, well her favorite part had to be the 15 candle cake…

Birthday Look!: Aura Jones!:

Aura's Current Team: Karakara(Cubone*shiny): Perish Song, Bonemerang, Fling, Bone Club

Fushi(Ivysaur): Sleep Powder, Bullet Seed, Take Down, Razor Leaf

Koko(Beedrill): Swords Dance, Twineedle, Tailwind, Fury Attack

Purin(Wigglytuff): Disarming Voice, Dazzling Gleam, Body Slam, Double-Edge

Kodu(Psyduck): Confusion, Disable, Water Sport, Fury Swipes


	25. The Fisherman's Dilemma

Chapter 25:

The Fisherman's Dilemma

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Bite, Water Pulse

Ace(Pidgey): Mud-Slap, Gust, Quick Attack, Roost

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Arthur(Ralts): Confusion, Lucky Chant, Teleport, Disarming Voice

"Huey, look!" Aura pointed as a school of Goldeen, led by a single Seaking jumped out of the water as the two of them walked down Route 12's bridge.

"I haven't seen a Seaking up close before…" Hue took his pokedex out.

"[Seaking], The [Goldfish] Pokemon." Dean echoed back to Hue.

"Seaking is the evolved form of Goldeen. Its sharp, drill-like horn is capable of crushing even stone."

"Hm…" Hue said. "I wonder what they're doing."

"Well, it's autumn…" Aura said with a sly grin.

"Those Goldeen and that Seaking are about to get rather….friendly, with each other."

"So...maybe trying to catch the Seaking is a bad idea for me, huh…" Hue said, feeling a little down.

"Oh come on." Aura rolled her eyes. "Fully aquatic pokemon can be a bit of a hinderance to work with, Huey. You should know tha-oooooooooooh!"  
Aura's eyes shone as another pokemon sort of...squirted...by.

"It's soooo cuuuuute!" Aura squealed.

"Huey, I want it!"

"What is it?" Hue scanned Dean over it.

"[Horsea]" Dean said. "The [Dragon] Pokemon."

"Dragon?" Hue asked confused. "No, that's clearly not a dragon-."

"Maybe it's the illegitimate child of a dragon…" Aura shrugged. "But all that matters is that it's so cuuuute! I'm gonna catch it, and name it Tattu, and then i'll send it to professor oak because I don't ever want to make it ever battle ever…"

"Well, then…" Hue sighed. "Let's see what Dean has to say about it."

"In this unique pokemon species…" Dean began. "Thousands of eggs hatch every spring and the male raises them himself."

"This Horsea is all alone in the autumn though…" Hue observed.

"You mean this little guy is _fully-grown_?" Aura asked excited.

"Kodu, come out and help me!"

"Psyyyyy…." Kodu said as she was sent out.

"Kodu use Confusion on the Horsea!"

"Psyduck…" Kodu nodded as her eyes began to glow and the Horsea rose up.

"Horsea…." It looked around confused before finally noticing Kodu.

"Hor….sea!" It shot an inky black liquid straight into Kodu's eyes.

"Pssyyyyy…" Kodu stopped her Confusion attack and the Horsea went back into the water, and scurried away leaving a black liquid trail behind it.

"No…." Aura said, reaching out towards the horizon. "My Horsea's getting away…."

"It says here in the extra data that Horsea shoots that ink at anything it deems dangerous, and that it can swim really quickly...I doubt it'll come back here until we're long gone…"

"But I _wanted one_ …." Aura sulked.

"Psyyyy…" Kodu removed the inky gunk from her eyes.

"Psyduck." Her eyes squinted.

"Duck!" She yelped as she dove into the water.

"Yes!" Aura yelled. "Go Kodu! Follow that trail!"

"Duck!" Kodu nodded as she swam out following the ink trail.

In a few seconds later, Kodu came swimming back.

"Psyduck!" She quacked frantically. "Psyduck! Psyduck! Psyduck!"

"What's wrong Kodu?" Aura asked as she ran to the edge of the bridge.

Hue put his hand to his forehead and looked out as far as he could.

"Kodu's being chased by something…" He realized.

"Psssyyyyyduck!"

Kodu lept out of the water and onto the bridge as

a bunch of much larger and spikier looking Horsea came out of the water.

"Duck…" Kodu said as she rubbed her rump.

"Kodu?" Aura asked. She ran up to her Psyduck. "Are you okay?"

She put a hand to Kodu's forehead, and then inspected the Psyduck's bottom.

"You've been poisoned...here, eat this. It'll help…" She handed Kodu a Pecha Berry.

"What are those?" Hue asked as he held his pokedex up to them.

"[Seadra]." Dean said. "The [Dragon] Pokemon. The evolved from of Horsea. Seadra has a violent temperament and the quills that cover its body can render its victims unconscious. It is known for its powerful disposition but possesses both strength and speed."

"Great." Hue said, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Horny pokemon that can crush boulders, and a school of violent poisonous dragon children…"

"Hey!" A nearby Fisherman called out to Hue and Aura.

"I keep telling you damn trainers not to disturb the wildlife here!"

Aura returned Kodu to her pokeball.

"I guess you aren't catching that Horsea today." Hue said in a teasing tone.

"Maybe not today..." Aura said, "But mark my words Huey, I won't rest until I have one."

"So, you keep the aquatic pokemon safe?" Hue asked the fisherman as he and Aura sat down next to the man who was waiting to catch a bite.

"Aye." The fisherman said. "This is a safe haven for all the aquatic pokemon. That's why you saw the Seaking and Goldeen swimming in this area. It's the safest water in their mating grounds."

"I...see..." Hue nodded. "So they come here for the best chances to reproduce."

"What about the Horsea and Seadra?" Aura asked. "Why are they here?"

"Well..." The fisherman looked down his fishing rod at his lure floating in the water.

"They normally don't come up to the surface...but recently, a trainer released one of their pokemon here, and that pokemon has been taking its anger out on the Horsea and Seadra, forcing them to shallower waters."

"That's terrible..." Hue said. "The Horsea and Seadra should be able to live in their natural environment."

"What's really terrible is that a trainer released a pokemon." Aura said, showing a face of pure disgust. "That pokemon has a right to be angry..."

"Even so..." The fisherman said. "This pokemon needs to be stopped somehow, so I'm going to fish it out."

"Do you have any pokemon to help you if it attacks?" Hue asked, concerned.

"I have Poliwag." The fisherman said as he held up a pokeball.

"I don't think a Poliwag would cut it here..." Aura whispered in Hue's ear.

"Need any help?" Hue offered. "I'd be happy to lend a hand..."

"I couldn't ask the two of you to go out of your way to help me..."

"Well, we aren't on a terribly tight schedule..." Aura shrugged.

"And I suppose helping you with this problem is the least I can do to make it up to the Seadra and the Horsea..."

"So...what pokemon did this trainer release exactly?" Hue asked.

As though his words were magic, the fisherman's lure began to tug rapidly.

"Argh!" He grunted as he stood upright and attempted to real the pokemon in. "If you kids could add your youthful strength…"

"Right." Hue nodded as he and Aura helped the fisherman reel in his catch.

The waves made as the pokemon on the end of the hook was brought into the air were huge.

The pokemon landed with a loud _thud_ on the bridge.

"It's…." Hue began.

"Isn't this just a giant shell?" Aura asked. She knocked on the shell lightly.

"It's really rough and hard. If I knocked any harder, my hand would probably be hurt...But still, it's just a giant purple shell...nothing that ought to upset the Horsea and Seadra…"

"That's no shell, little lady…" The fisherman said. "That's the pokemon that's been terrorizing the aquatic pokemon sanctuary! That's a Cloyster!"

"Cloyster?" Hue asked.

Guess it was time for Dean again.

"[Cloyster]..." Dean confirmed as Hue scanned it over the giant purple shell. "The [Bivalve] Pokemon. It's shell is incredibly strong and resistant to a bomb. Its shell only opens when it attacks."

"What the heck is a _Cloyster_ doing in Route 12?" Hue wondered.

"I already told you." The fisherman said. "This Cloyster's trainer released it here. It's been taking its anger out on the other aquatic pokemon."

"I can understand why it's angry." Aura nodded. "The bond between a trainer and their pokemon is supposed to be sacred. No self respecting trainer would ever catch a pokemon only to release it later. They should try living on their own in an unfamiliar environment before they force any pokemon to."

She gave a quick glance at Hue. "My brother raised me to believe that." She said more to him than to the fisherman.

Was she trying to tell Hue to do something?

Her piercing eyes suggested that she was.

"So, before you send out your Poliwag and attack the Cloyster…" Hue began. "Maybe you could just try talking to it?"

The fisherman's reply, took Hue a bit by surprise. "I've done that three times before." He stated. "This isn't the first time I've fished Cloyster out of the water...but…"

"But what?" Hue asked.

Cloyster's shell cracked open ever so slightly, and Hue could see a pair of distrusting eyes in the darkness, along with a scowl.

"Cloyyyyysssterr…" It hissed at Hue and Aura.

"Cloyster's clearly agitated beyond repair at being left alone in an unfamiliar environment." The fisherman said. "Each time I've fished Cloyster up, some trainer would offer to take it, but would ultimately come back, complaining that Cloyster didn't listen to a word they say. And so they would leave it here with me again."

"I didn't know that…" Hue said. He felt a cold chill go down his spine.

Aura was still staring intensely at him.

What did she want? Why couldn't she just _tell him_ already?

"Aura…" Hue cleared his throat. "Do you want to catch the Cloyster?"  
"I don't." She said rather sternly, still looking straight at Hue with those piercing dark green eyes…

Hmm. She seemed to really empathize with it though…

Hue wondered if maybe he, as outside input rather than just the fisherman, could convince Cloyster to calm down…

It was his best shot right now.

Hue shuffled forwards. "Umm...Cloyster?" He asked.

"Cloyster!" The Cloyster hissed as it shot Spikes out all over the bridge.

"Gah!  
Hue backed up. "Okay, okay, I won't come any closer."

He sat down.

"I get how you must feel Cloyster…" He said as he took out an empty pokeball. "I felt lonely and abandoned when my friends decided that they didn't want to travel with me at the beginning of my journey…And I've met _plenty_ of people that I don't like."

Hue's thoughts turned to Victor, to that Twilight chick from Cerulean, and to his 'boss' at the Kanto Police Department.

"But you know what?" He continued, as Douglas popped out of his pokeball.

"Wartortle!' he chimed. "War...tor! Tor! Tor!"

He began to dance around on the Spikes.

"Douglas…" Hue said, "Come here buddy, we can heal you up."

"Tortle!" Douglas sang as he jumped affectionately on his sitting trainer.

"I've also made friends that will last a lifetime, Cloyster." Hue said. "Douglas here was the first. Together...well, we're going to become the strongest team in the Kanto region, so that we can be strong enough to protect and help others. Thanks to a few trainers who did the same for me, a long time ago."

Hue suddenly remembered his recurring nightmare dream about the day of the escape...The fire in the lab...The Dragonite girl...and the voice of the trainer who refused to go down to the area where Hue and the other 'Subjects' were.

"Maybe they didn't quite do the same for me, actually…" Hue sighed as he realized it. "But that's only more reason to become stronger. No person or pokemon should ever have to go through what I went through all those years ago…"

"Cloyster…." Cloyster seemed to be taking Hue's words with a grain of salt.

"Cloyster!" It shouted as it shot a gigantic Icicle directly at Hue.

Hue made no attempt to dodge.

Douglas did exactly what Hue knew he would do.

"You see this?" Hue asked the Cloyster from inside the forcefield that Douglas had created. "This move is called Protect. Right now, Douglas is doing exactly what I would be doing in his situation. He and I share a common goal: To become stronger in order to better protect those we care about."

"Wartotle!" Douglas nodded with a smile.

"Cloysssterrr…" Cloyster seemed to still be distrusting of Hue's words.

"Cloyster...I don't think you want to take things out on the pokemon living here." Hue said with a knowing smile.

"How are you talking to it so calmly?" The fisherman asked. "It's attacked you twice now!"

"Because…" Aura nudged the fisherman's shoulder as she pointed to behind Cloyster, where Arthur was pantomiming the emotions it sensed from Cloyster to Hue. "Huey's got a pokemon that can sense the emotions of other pokemon. So he can correctly guess what that Cloyster is feeling."

"Cloyster." Hue said as Douglas's Protect faded away. "Do you really want to spend the rest of your life secluding yourself from others in an area that you feel uncomfortable with? I doubt your original trainer would be happy to hear about the chaos you've been causing."

"Cloyster?!" Cloyster's eyes widened. Hue had successfully managed to strike a nerve by mentioning Cloyster's original trainer.

"Hue…" Aura whispered. "Cloyster's original trainer released it. I doubt they care about it at all."

Hue shook his head.

"I disagree. I think they cared about Cloyster immensely."

"Oh please, this trainer didn't even think about where Cloyster would prefer to live…"

"But they did…" Hue countered. "Aura, think about where we are right now."

"On Route 12?"

"At an _Aquatic Pokemon Sanctuary_." Hue specified. "I don't think it was a coincidence that Cloyster was released here. I think their trainer knew that this place was a safe haven and wanted Cloyster to be safe and happy. I mean, look at Cloyster. It's been ignoring its new trainers."

"Well yeah…" Aura said. "I would too, if-..."

"But your specific scenario isn't the case here." Hue replied.

"You keep saying that if you were in its position, you'd be angry at your trainer for releasing you, but Cloyster seems to still trust its original trainer more than the trainers it went through afterwards. These are the symptoms of a stubborn pokemon that misses its trainer, not a resentful one like we've been led to believe."

Aura gave Hue a cold stare.

"I hate it when you're the one giving the lesson…" She said. "I'm _your_ superior, remember?"

"We both have two badges, and one ribbon each…" Hue replied. "I'd say we're equal in terms of rating."

"I guess I'll have to _try harder_ then…" Aura gave a sly grin. "Now come on, Huey. Wrap this up."

"It looks like my time here is coming to an end, Cloyster." Hue smiled at the pokemon as he stood up, returned Arthur into his pokeball and shifted Douglas onto his back in a piggy-back riding position.

"Thanks for letting me talk to you, and since I'm eventually heading to the Pokemon League, when I see your trainer, I'll be sure to tell him or her to come visit you."

"Wartortle!" Douglas waved from Hue's back.

Hue began to follow Aura towards the path way onto Vermillion City.

"Cloyster!" The Cloyster yelled as it hobbled to turn itself around, and began to shoot large spikes, propelling itself backwards towards Hue and Aura, until finally, it propelled itself in front of Hue.

"Cloyster!" It shouted, adamantly.

It stared directly into Hue's eyes, and Hue felt a chill go down its spine.

It was giving an Aura stare…

A determined piercing gaze…

Hue and Douglas looked at each other.

"Huey…" Aura said turning around, "What's keeping-?...Oh…"

Hue looked directly into the Cloyster's eyes.

He gave it a knowing nod.

"Cloyster!" It shouted again as it closed its shell completely.

"Heh..Okay.." Aura laughed. "So you said your goodbyes…"

A red glow came from the Cloyster's shell, until the entire pokemon turned red, and disappeared into a pokeball.

Wiggle,

Wiggle

Wiggle,

Click.

"It swallowed your pokeball?" Aura asked, confused. Though she did show a sigh of relief right afterwards "And here I thought you weren't going to catch it..."

"I didn't…" Hue said with a smile. "It caught itself for me. I wasn't going to be just another trainer who took it only to return it later. I made it _want_ to join me first!"

"So...you normally give them some sort of nickname…" Aura chimed. "Watcha' gonna name it, Huey?"

"Hrm…" Hue said as he picked up the pokeball and scanned Dean over it to learn the Cloyster's male sex.

"I guess I'll name _him_ Cooper."

"Cooper the Cloyster…" Aura hummed. "Love the iteration."

She began to cling to Hue's arm. "You might have a brain up there after all."

"Yeah, yeah…" Hue said as the two began to walk again. "But maybe you can tone it down with the clinging? "

"Oh come on now, Huey…" Aura said as she latched onto Hue's arm even further. "You know you like it!..."


	26. Vermillion Tourney! A Second Chance!

Chapter 26:

The Vermillion Tourney! A 2nd Chance!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Bite, Water Pulse

Ace(Pidgey): Mud-Slap, Gust, Quick Attack, Roost

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Arthur(Ralts): Confusion, Lucky Chant, Teleport, Disarming Voice

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

"Vermillion City!" Aura sang as she danced into the town as festive music played all throughout the area. "We're finally, _finally_ at a city with a Gym again!"

"Our detour through Lavender Town _did_ take a while…" Hue nodded.

But still...he thought to himself… He wouldn't have been able to obtain Cooper, his new Cloyster, if he hadn't let Aura talk him into heading through Lavender. He'd also learned some information about his identity from the pokemon that took the shape of PJ...Aura's deceased brother…

He had some sort of pokemon inside him, that became more dominant in times of stress…

Hue was bothered by what being a 'Subject' meant, considering that if he was nothing but a lab right, his life might be in danger…

Hue heard a noise, and looked around just in time to see a shadowy figure disappear into a nearby alley.

"Isn't the town beautiful Huey?" Aura asked with a smile as she continued to dance around. "We should totally go to the beach!"

"I'd have Sir Swanson stay away from the beach if I were you, Miss Jones…" A familiar confident voice said. Hue and Aura turned around to see Davon, preening his gelled blonde hair. "His eyes might...wander."

"Oh please…" Aura blew her long black hair out of her eye. "What would possibly get him to look-?"

Aura stopped short as she noticed Hue staring towards the beach at a few bikini clad women.

Unbeknownst to Aura at the moment, Hue wasn't staring at the women for the reasons that Davon had implied.

Hue was staring at them because they were familiar.

He began to walk towards the two women.

"Huh?" One of them turned to face Hue's direction.

"Huey!" Diane screamed as she ran up to him waving. "You made it to the city just in time for the tournament!"

"The tournament?" Hue asked.

"Indeed." Ethel, the other woman, nodded as she joined up with everyone. "Just like the Pewter Tournament you participated in back in Pewter City. This Vermillion Tourney is the last one that is being held this year, since the winner gets a ticket to the SS Anne's trainer party."

"Along with a gym leader battle if they don't have the badge from Vermillion's gym yet!" Diane said excited. "Not that I need it." She gave a knowing wink.

It looked like Diane had already won a gym badge from the Vermillion Gym.

"Any egg this time?" Aura asked.

Ethel shook her head. "Not this time."

"Well…" Hue rubbed his chin. "Since the prize is an SS Anne ticket, I'm i correct in assuming neither you nor Davon is participating in this tournament?"

"You'd be correct…" Ethel said as she flashed her SS Anne ticket again, along with three badges being kept in a case.

One of those must be the badge from the Vermillion Gym.

"And I also already have the two things I came here for as well…" Davon smiled as he preened his hair back, and held up three badges, along with a ribbon.

"Behold my newest achievement!"

"You just missed a contest, Huey…" Diane explained. "You should have seen it! Davon and Ethel were facing each other in the finals! It was amazing!"

"That's the third contest in a row I've lost…" Ethel sighed as she looked down. "I think I'll be using the SS Anne party as a way to meet great coordinators and help train. I _am_ only two ribbons away from five after all."

"Huey!" Aura tugged on Hue's arm, eager to get him away from the bikini clad girls. "We should sign up for _this_ tournament too!"

"I don't know…." Hue laughed as Aura led him into the city. "I tend to not perform that well when so many people are watching…"

"Then you'll lose first thing if you make it to the pokemon league." Aura rolled her eyes. "Come on please?"

She tried batting her eyelashes.

It wasn't working.

"I'm trying to earn badges. It'll be easier to do that without the needless tournament beforehand."

"Speaking of…" Aura bit her nail. "I wonder what _type_ of pokemon the gym leader here uses…"

"Electric." Karen Walls appeared behind them.

"It's good to see you two again….Though I can't say the same about _that fop_."

Davon, Hue thought to himself. She's talking about Davon.

"You competing in the Tourney Karen?" Aura asked friendly.

"Of course I am." Karen nodded. "Colonel Surge only ever accepts challengers that he believes to be strong enough to battle him."

"Colonel Surge…" Hue repeated. "He's the gym leader here?"  
"That's right." Karen nodded. "And if you want a badge from his gym, you need to prove to him that you have the strength and determination to take it."

"So join the tournament Huey!" Aura tugged his arm. "Come on, please! We can have the fun we were _supposed_ to have last time! Think of it as a late birthday present!"  
"Your birthday was over a week ago!" Hue exclaimed. "But alright. I guess I'll think of a pokemon to use in the tournament."

"Oh, did you not know?" Karen asked confused.

Hue and Aura looked at each other, and then back at Karen.

"Not know what?" Aura asked.

"The Vermillion Tourney is a Double Battle. You choose _two_ of your pokemon to participate."

Hue looked over the pokemon he had.

He really wanted to use Cooper. His new Cloyster was definitely his first choice, but that left Hue with a bit of a difficult decision.

Who would he send out along with Cooper?

He wanted, above all else, to make sure that Cooper worked well with the partner he was given…

"So there you are." The official said as he handed Hue a badge signifying that he was competing in the tournament. "Hubert Swanson, you have registered for the Vermillion Tourney."

"Sooo…" Aura jumped on Hue from behind. "Who're you using huh? Huh?"

"Cooper and Arthur." Hue said as he shook Aura off.

"What about you?"

"Considering it's an Electric type gym leader..." Aura answered. "I've gone with Karakara and Fushi myself."

"Well, if we end up battling each other, I won't go easy on them." Hue said as he grinned and adjusted his glasses.

"Likewise." Aura gave Hue a curtsey and waltzed away. "Let's make it to the finals this time!" She chimed cheerfully.

Hue looked around for a screen showing the competitors.

Once again, there were only eight.

Hue, Aura, Karen, and Diane were the first 4 people competing in this tournament.

The next name caught Hue's eye as well.

Morren.

The ex NTR trainer seemed to have made his way to Vermillion.

There was a gloomy looking, silver haired girl up on the screen as well. Hue wasn't familiar with her…

Under her profile was the name Sierra Randolph.

There was a stalwart boy with long red dreadlocks and dead brown eyes up on screen as well. Hue didn't know who that guy was either, but he looked almost as unimpressed with everything as Sierra was.

Under his profile was the name Omar Murray.

Finally, the last and picture on the screen and eighth overall…

It was that blonde boy from Lavender Town.

Craig Woods, his name appeared to be.

"Attention please!" The speakers sounded. "All eight participants have been signed up! We will now randomly match pairs up in battle. The winners and their two pokemon will move on to the semi-finals! Competitors, please look at your nearest match-up screen to determine whom you will fight with and when!"

Hue looked at the screen, and saw the faces shuffle around, much like they had done in Pewter.

Match 1: Aura VS Karen

Match 2: Omar VS Craig

Match 3: Morren VS Hue

Match 4: Sierra VS Diane

Hue wondered if Morren was going to use the same pokemon that Hue knew he had, or if the kid had gotten new pokemon since their last meeting.

Either way, he needed to head over to the battlefield.

Aura wouldn't let him hear the end of it if he missed her match.

Aura VS Karen

"For our first match of this tournament, we have Aura Jones facing off against Karen Walls!" The announcer announced as Hue sat in between Ethel and Davon.

"Trainers, send out your pokemon, now!" The referee yelled.

"Fushi, Karakara!" Aura chimed sweetly as she sent out her pokemon.

"Ivysaur!" Fushi grinned.

"Bone! Cubone!" Karakara pounded her chest with her bone.

The audience began to go wild.

"Yes, these screams of excitement are understandable." The announcer said. "It appears Miss Jones is in possession of a shiny Cubone, who appears to be green in color rather than brown."

"Shiny pokemon are only that though." Karen said, almost ominously, as she sent out her two pokemon.

"Magnemite, Eevee!" She yelled as she sent out her own pokemon,

"Magnemite!" Karen's Magnemite buzzed.

"Eevee!" Eevee yelped.

"It's so cuuute!" Aura exclaimed. "Karen where did you get it?"

"Eevee is actually a pet of mine i've had for a while…" Karen said. "I came down through Saffron, my hometown, so I picked her up and she's accompanying me now."

"That's adorable!" Aura squealed as she held her pokedex up to the Eevee. "I totally want one!"

"[Eevee]." Her pokedex stated. "The [Evolution] Pokemon. Eevee is a unique pokemon that can adapt to its environment by changing its form and abilities when evolving. Depending on the circumstances, Eevee can evolve into many forms."

"You aren't going to use my own techniques against me are you?" Aura asked, suspiciously.

Karen shrugged. "I have no idea what you're talking about." She said.

"Battle, Start!" The ref called.

"Eevee Quick Attack on the Ivysaur!" Karen called. "Magnemite, Thunder Wave it to make sure it doesn't strike back!"

"Vee!" Eevee rammed into Fushi, before jumping back to Karen.

"Magnemite!" Magnemite buzzed as it shot a Thunder Wave.

"Karakara, take the lightning!" Aura called.

"Bone!" Karakara nodded as she jumped in between Fushi and the Thunder Wave, absorbing the attack through her bone like it was a conducting rod.

"Now, Fushi, Razor Leaf!" Aura yelled.

"Saur!" Fushi nodded as he shot razor sharp leaves at both Eevee and Magnemite.

"Karakara, finish off the Magnemite with a Bonemerang!" Aura called with a smile.

"Magnemite, Magnet Rise!" Karen shouted.

"Mite!" Magnemite buzzed as it rose above the Bonemerang Attack.

"Tch…" Aura grunted. "Well, that might be a problem…"

"What's...Magnet Rise?" Hue asked Ethel.

Strangely enough, Davon was the one that answered.

"Magnet Rise…" He said as he fiddled with his hair. "Is a move that allows the user to float up in the air, high enough to resist any and all ground-type moves. For a Magnemite, it's a must-have. One hit from a ground attack and its all over."

"Of course…." Ethel joined in explaining. "It isn't as though the effects of Magnet Rise can last forever. There will be a point where Magnemite will float back down and be susceptible to ground moves again."

"Still though…" Davon countered, seemingly convinced that Karen would be the winner of this match. "With the only moves that can lay heavy damage on Magnemite taken care of, I don't see how Aura can get rid of it."

"She's going to have to focus on Eevee first." Ethel nodded in agreement. "However...I sense something is not as it should be with that Eevee…"

"Karakara, use Bone Club on the Eevee!" Aura yelled.

"Cuuu!" Karakara charged towards Eevee.

"Eevee!" Karen called out. "Attract!"

Hue looked at Ethel, as if to ask if this was what she was talking about.

She gave a slight nod.

"Eeeeeeveeee!" Karen's Eevee gave a wink at Karakara, who stopped short of her intended Bone Club.

"Bone?" Karakara began to back up.

"Oh you _have_ to be kidding me…" Aura sighed. "Fushi, help Karakara out with a Take Down!"

"Magnemite, keep her Ivysaur busy!" Karen yelled. "Start by giving it a Thunder Wave!"

"Karakara!" Aura called. "Get back and help Fushi!"

"Bone…." Karakara stayed put, mesmerized by the Eevee.

"Things looks bad for your friend." Ethel said as Fushi was hit by a full Thunder Wave attack, stopping him from performing his Take Down. "That Attract was pretty strong."

"Hrm…" Hue said, as he looked on at the battle.

He didn't know what he expected Karen to be like in a pokemon battle, but to be this calculating…Something felt just a little off. Karen was avoiding those ground moves like they were the plague...The whole strategy seemed intent on that single goal…

"Fushi!" Aura yelled. "Try a Take Down on Eevee! Karakara, use Bonemerang!"

"Bone!" Karakara refused to throw her bone at Eevee.

"Ivy...saur!" Fushi powered through his paralysis and began to charge at Eevee.

"Magnemite, Sonic Boom!" Karen called. "Keep it busy from that safe distance!"

"Mite!" Magnemite shot a Sonic Boom at Fushi, stopping him, once again, from landing his Take Down attack.

"That safe distance…" Aura grinned. "Is no longer safe." She pointed to show that Fushi might have been stopped in his tracks, but he was now right next to Karakara.

"W-what do you mean?" Karen asked confused.

"I mean, your strategy crumbles here." Aura said with a confident smile as she blew her wavy black hair out of her eye.

"Fushi, Sweet Scent."

"Saur…" Fushi nodded as an aromatic fragrance wafted from the bud on his back.

"Veee!" The Eevee took a whiff of it and began to move more towards Fushi.

"What are you doing, Eevee?" Karen asked. "Don't fall for it! It's a trap!"

Eevee wasn't listening. The scent from Fushi's flower bud was too strong.

"Eevee…" Eevee said as it ended up right in front of Fushi.

"Fushi…" Aura said with a grin. "You're close enough now that Magnemite won't be able to attack you without hitting Eevee as well. Take Down!"

"Saur…" Fushi grinned as he momentarily stood on his hind legs, before falling back down on top of Eevee.

"Eevee is unable to battle!" The ref announced. "Karen is down to only Magnemite!"

"Magnemite, use Magnet Bomb on the Ivysaur!" Karen called. "Avenge Eevee!"

"Fushi, counter with a Razor Leaf!" Aura called.

"S-saur…" Fushi couldn't seem to summon up any leaves.

"It looks like Aura's Ivysaur is finally feeling the negative effects of that paralysis…" The announcer said. "And just in time for Magnemite's Magnet Bomb! An attack that cannot be avoided!"

"Saur…." Fushi sighed as he was hit by the Magnet Bomb attack.

"Ivysaur is unable to battle." The ref stated. "Both trainers are down to their last pokemon."

"Alright Karakara…" Aura grinned. "If she doesn't want to get hit with a ground move, we'll hit her with something else. Magnemite's already taken some major damage from the Razor Leaf at the beginning of the match, and you still have full health."

"Bone." Karakara said with a nod.

"Karkara!" Aura pointed with a grin. "Use Fling! Fling that bone of yours and smack that Magnemite down here!"

"Cuuu…" Karakara aimed with her bone.

"Bone!" She threw the bone straight into Magnemite's eye.

"Mite…." Magnemite buzzed as it hovered closer to the ground.

"Magnemite, no!" Karen called. "Magnet Rise again!"

"Karakara, before Magnemite can do that, use a Bone Club!" Aura called.

"How's she going to use Bone Club when her bone is in Magnemite's eye?" Ethel wondered.

"She's not using that bone…" Hue grinned as Karakara rammed herself headfirst into the Magnemite, and grabbed her bone back in the process.

"Magnemite is unable to battle!" The ref said. "The victor is Cubone, which means the match goes to Aura!"

"What a match folks!" The announcer said. "Next up we have Omar Murray of One Island, versus Craig Woods, of Viridian City, and after that we have Morren Rex of Pallet Town versus Hubert Swanson of Fuschia City, and don't forget to check out our last match of the day, Sierra Randolph of Cinnabar Island versus Diane Dorsey of Fuschia City! Please take a short break and the next match will commence in a few minutes!"

"Huey!" Aura jumped on him from behind again as he walked around the beach.

"Aura, you need to stop doing that…" Hue said. "It's scaring the crap out of me, and my back is normally reserved for Douglas."

Douglas appeared out from under the waves of the Ocean and waved. "Wartortle!" he called out.

"I suppose I could stop…" Aura shrugged. "But it's just so _fun_ to startle you! Your voice cracks a bit when you scream and it sounds so silly and funny!"

Hue sighed.

"You aren't gonna congratulate me on my win?" Aura asked slyly, as though she was planning something,

"You nearly lost." Hue reminded her. "But good job for turning things around at the last minute."

"And looks like Omar Murray of One Island and his Magmar and Ponyta are moving onto the semi-finals!" The announcer said over the speakers.

"In a few minutes the match between Morren Rex of Pallet Town, and Hubert Swanson of Fuschia City will begin! Will both trainers please make their way back to the arena?"

"Oooh!" Aura said with a glint in her eye. "This will be fun to watch!"

Hue gulped.

He was about to compete in one of these tournaments again.

Hopefully his performance wouldn't be as bad as last time, back in Pewter…

Morren VS Hue

"For our third match of the tournament we have Morren Rex, of Pallet Town, versus Hubert Swanson, of Fuschia City!" The announcer announced.

"Go Huey!" Aura called from somewhere in the audience.

Hue could feel his embarrassment manifesting itself in the form of a very red face.

Across from him, stood Morren Rex. An ex-Neo Team Rocket grunt, whom Hue had briefly escorted about a month ago. Hue wondered if Morren would be using the same pokemon that Hue knew he had, or if he had managed to catch some others.

"Trainers…" The referee said. "Send out your pokemon now!"

"Cooper, Arthur, I choose you!" Hue called as he sent out his Cloyster and his Ralts.

"Cloyster…" Cooper grinned from inside his shell.

"Ralts…" Arthur looked on at Morren, seemingly unafraid of the battle ahead of him.

That was a good thing.

It meant Morren was happy doing this.

"Abra, Golbat!" Morren called out.

"It looks like it's Abra and Golbat versus Ralts and Cloyster!" The announcer said excitedly.

"That cloyster…" Ethel's eyes widened. "I've seen that cloyster before."

"Are you sure?" Aura asked. "Cloyster was at a sanctuary when Huey and I saw it."

"I'm sure." Ethel nodded. "That Cloyster-"

"Kirlia!" Ethel was interrupted by her Kirlia coming out of its pokeball. It began to watch the match unfold while hiding behind her trainer's seat.

"You want to watch this match too Kirlia?" Ethel asked with a small laugh.

"Kirlia…" her Kirlia stared down at Arthur.

"Why is your pokemon so excited for this match?" Aura asked, suspiciously.

"Well, she probably wants to see Hue's Ralts battle." Ethel guessed as she fixed her long white hair so that she could see. "I know that I'm certainly interested in what he has planned."

"Hrm." Aura made a distasteful noise and turned back.

"You can do it Huey!" She yelled.

Hue rolled his eyes, gave Aura a wave, hoping it would shut her up, and turned back to the pokemon Morren had sent out.

"Abra, and Golbat eh…" Hue raised his pokedex to Abra.

"[Abra]" Dean beeped. "The [Psi] Pokemon. It sleeps eighteen hours a day but employs telekinesis even while sleeping. When Abra senses an imminent attack, it escapes by teleporting."

"Battle Start!" The ref yelled.

"Arthur, start things off with a Lucky Chant!" Hue yelled out.

"Ralts!" Arhtur nodded as he began chanting.

"Golbat, use Poison Fang on the Ralts!" Morren called.

"Bat!" Golbat hissed as its fangs began to secrete poison and it charged for Arthur.

"Cooper, intercept the Golbat with an Icicle Crash!"

"Cloyster!" Cooper grinned as he shot a barrage of icicles straight at Golbat, hitting the pokemon directly.

"That oughta stop it…" Hue said with a grin.

"Nothing stops Golbat." Morren replied through his abnormally large round glasses. "His ability is Inner Focus after all."

"Golbat!" Golbat yelled as it continued to fly towards Arthur and sank it's fangs in.

"Ralts!" Arthur wailed in pain.

"Arhtur!" Hue called. "Use Confusion on that Golbat!"

"Ralts!" Arthur nodded as his eyes began to glow and he lifted the Golbat up into the air using psychic power.

"Bat! Golbat!" Golbat wailed in agony.

"Something seems off…" Karen said from the audience.

"Why is Morren only fighting using Golbat?"

"I'd wager its because he doesn't want to have to use Abra." Davon said, preening his hair.

"The only move Abra learns naturally is Teleport." Ethel nodded.

"It can be rather hard to work with _only_ that move…" Aura said understanding.

"I think he might actually have a plan for Abra." Ethel clarified. "Let's just watch and see."

"Golbat!" Morren yelled as Arthur let go of his psychic grip on the pokemon. "Poison Fang on Cloyster!"

"Cooper!" Hue called out. "Withdraw, now!"

"Ster!" Cooper hissed with a grin as he closed his shell completely shut, just in time for Golbat to attempt to sink its fangs into the shell.

"Bat! Bat! Golbat!" Golbat flitted back, trying to cover its mouth.

"Golbat has tough fangs, sure…" Hue said. "But one look at Cloyster's pokedex entries and you'd know that something as weak as those couldn't puncture Cloyster's shell." He smiled at Morren.

"Arthur, finish that Golbat off with Confusion!"

"Ralts…" Arthur nodded once again as his eyes glew, and Crobat was foisted up into the air, and then slammed into the ground.

"Golbat is unable to battle." The ref said. "Morren is down to his last pokemon!"

"Alright Abra!" Morren grinned. "Time to put the plan into action."

"Abra." His Abra nodded.

"Cooper, use Spike Cannon!" Hue called out.

"Abra…" Morren grinned, "Teleport!"

Abra Teleported out of the Spike Cannon's line of fire, and the spikes instead, went straight into Arthur.

"Ralts!" Arthur wailed.

"Cloyster…" Cooper bashfully retreated into his shell.

"Arthur are you okay?" Hue asked, a little worried.

"Ralts…" Arthur nodded as he stood up.

"Alright then, Cooper, use Spikes!" Hue grinned.

"Ster!" Cooper smirked as he shot spikes out all across the arena floor.

"What purpose does that even serve?" Morren asked.

"This one." Hue grinned. "Arthur, Disarming Voice!"

"Ralllllts!" Arthur echoed as he sent out sound waves throughout the battlefield.

"Arba, Tele-"

"Abra!" Morren's Abra teleported before he could even call it out, as it sensed imminent danger.

"Bra!" It yelped as it apparated in front of one of the spikes, and it teleported again, and once again landed on another spike.

"Abra!" It yelped again, before, once again, teleporting.

"Abra stop teleporting!" Morren tried to call out, but it wasn't working.

It went too much against Abra's inherent nature.

"Braaaa…." Abra moaned after finally landing on enough spikes that it fell over.

"Abra can no longer battle." The ref said. "The victors are Ralts and Cloyster, which means the winner of this match is Hubert!"

Hue's eyes widened.

They did it?

They did it!

"Hubert will move onto the semifinals along with Aura and Omar, and the victor of our next match, Sierra Randolph versus Diane Dorsey!"

It didn't take Diane very long to win her match against Sierra. "It looks like Diane, and her Charmeleon and Pikachu are moving on to the Semifinals!" The announcer said.

"Trainers, take a break! We'll be announcing the match-ups for the semi-finals in a moment!"

Hue was walking around the beach when he saw her.

Standing in her red trench coat, was Carmen Yiddle.

"What are you doing here?" Hue asked.  
"There's a job I want you to tackle." Carmen said. "A lot of the SS Anne's crew, very recently, have all been committing suicide. Obviously something like that can't be treated as an unfortunate coincidence. We believe something is at work on board that ship, and that the trainers invited to this party that everyone is talking about might be in trouble. We want you to investigate, considering you're a trainer. And, obviously, this requires getting onto the SS Anne in the first place. So I'm here to tell you that you better find a way on board that ship. Find a girl you like or something and give this to her when you ask her."

Carmen tossed Hue a pink flower.

"Gracedia Flower." She said. "From Sinnoh. It's meant to show thanks."

"Are you showing thanks to me?" Hue asked with a grin.

"I'm going to pretend that I didn't just hear that." Carmen said with a snarl. "Just get on the ship however you can. The easiest way would be to get a ticket of your own, but I somehow don't think you'll manage."

To make a long story short, Carmen was right.

Hue was paired up against Omar Murray for the semi-final match.

His Magmar and Ponyta both ganged up on Cooper, and cooked him terribly, taking him out of the battle early.

Hue then attempted to have Arthur implement the strategy Morren used with his Abra, but…

"Magmar, Fire Spin!" Omar said, his sullen tone completely contradicting the energetic way he battled.

"Not even Teleport can save a pokemon from Magmar's Fire Spin." Omar said. "Ponyta. Now's your chance. Stomp."

"Ponyta!" Omar's Ponyta said as it ran right over Arthur, leaving him lying in the dirt.

"Ralts is unable to battle!" The ref said. "The victors are Magmar and Ponyta, so the winner of the match who goes on to face Diane Dorsey in the finals is Omar Murray!"

Oh that was right… Hue thought to himself.

Aura had lost her semifinal match as well.

It hadn't been as badly as Hue had just lost, but Diane's pokemon were hard hitters, and they hit faster than Aura had anticipated, focusing on Karakara, the threat, first, and saving Fushi for later, when Diane's Charmeleon's Blaze was nice and active.

"Well this blows." Aura said as she and Hue sat next to each other in the audience as they got ready to watch the match.

"We should at least cheer for Diane." Hue sighed. "I just wish the ticket being given away at this tournament allowed the bearer to bring a plus one."

"Why is that?" Aura asked confused.

Hue told Aura about everything that Carmen had said to him on the beach earlier.

"You should have told me that sooner, Huey!" Aura said. "I would've won instant and snuck you on board with me!"

"I'd prefer to enter legally…" Hue laughed nervously. "Wait...you wouldn't mind?"

"Well, yeah. The whole fake couple thing is nothing we haven't done before." Aura sighed. "Remember Cerulean City? Only this time it would be more like _espionage_." Her eyes brightened at the word.

There was something wrong with this girl.

Hue was actually glad she didn't win the ticket.

"In any case…" Hue said. "We should still route for Diane."

After some, in Hue's mind anyway, bullshit Dragon Rage spamming, along with Nuzzle from her Pikachu, Diane was able to defeat Magmar and Ponyta respectively, without so much as taking a single speck of damage from Omar.

"Sometimes I think your sister might put a little too much emphasis on power…" Aura sighed.

Hue nodded in agreement. "You'd be right to think that…" He laughed nervously.

Diane had already defeated the gym leader, so she didn't get a battle or anything like that. What she got was the SS Anne ticket, and only that. Well, bragging right too, Hue guessed. Diane did love to flaunt her victories.

"I'm so happy!" Diane said as she and Hue walked together to catch up on events.

"This is going to make Ethel happy too!"

"About that…" Hue wanted to ask. "Are you?"

"I took a page out of your book Huey!" Diane said as she tussled his hair. "I found myself a travel partner in her!"

Hue imagined how that conversation might have gone down. If anything, Diane decided that they would travel together and Ethel was just too kind to say no.

Well, that honestly sounded a lot like _his_ situation…

"So...you getting a ticket means you can both enjoy the party together?" Hue asked as he took a sip out of a water bottle he had bought from a stall.

"Wartortle." Douglas, who was riding on Hue's back, nodded.

"Oh...well…" Diane gave a bit of a laugh. "Actually what I meant by me winning this ticket would make her happy is the fact that now she doesn't have to use her +1 on me. I've got my own ticket, so now Ethel can bring someone else on board to keep her company while I battle with as many trainers as possible!"

Hue spit out all the water he had in his mouth, Douglas used a random Water Pulse.

This must be Arceus making up for the whole Ditto fiasco back in Cerulean…

Hue thought to himself.

It hadn't occurred to him that Ethel hadn't used up her +1 on anyone yet.

"Whoa." Diane gave a laugh. "Don't choke on water." She said.

"Where is Ethel right now?" Hue asked.

This was perfect.

His time talking with Ethel was always cut short by something, and he didn't have a way onto the SS Anne in time for the party, but now he could kill both those birds with a single stone.

Diane pointed him in Ethel's direction, and he bolted.

"H-Hue?" Ethel asked, surprised as Hue ran up to her.

"Are you okay, you're out of breath…"

Okay, Hue thought to himself. Catch your breath first, stand up nice and tall.

"Ethel…" Hue said as he pulled out the Gracedia Flower that Carmen had given him. "It's very important to me, so please let me be your plus 1 to the SS Anne party now that Didi has her own ticket."

"..."

"Ethel?" Hue asked, nervous that he might get a bad answer.

Ethel's face was turning red.

"Ethel are you okay?" Hue asked. "Do you have a fever or something?"

"Y-y-y-yes!" Ethel blurted out. "I...I mean n-n-no, I don't have a fever! But o-of course I'll bring you to the party if its that important to you! It's just...are you sure that your travel partner is okay with this?"

Something told Hue that she would sneak on the ship anyway, so he answered in the way that would get her in the least amount of trouble.

"She's already going to be on the ship, but she doesn't have a ticket that allows a +1." Hue said, completely sure that this was true.

He could feel himself go red. "But to be honest, I'm kind of glad. Because I like talking to you, and it seems like every conversation we have ends-"

"Ethel, there you are!" Diane said. "Come on, we have to go restock on supplies. The party isn't for a few days still and we need to get completely ready!"

"Y-yeah…" Ethel said. She gave Hue a nervous bow. "I-I'll meet you at the docks the day of." She said before Diane dragged her away.

"Abruptly…" Hue finished his sentence, and then slapped himself in the face.

"The fucking favor from Viridian!" He told Douglas. "Why didn't we just use that and avoid all the awkwardness?"

"...Tortle…" Douglas gave Hue a snide grin.

"Return, you know it all." Hue said as he returned Douglas to his poke ball.

"Alright…" He said to himself. "Now that I've got my way into the ship, I can finally ask Carmen for the details about the case so far."


	27. Suicides on The SS Anne

Chapter 27:

Suicides On The SS Anne

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Bite, Water Pulse

Ace(Pidgey): Mud-Slap, Gust, Quick Attack, Roost

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Arthur(Ralts): Confusion, Lucky Chant, Teleport, Disarming Voice

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

The docks were crowded that day, but it wasn't hard for Hue to meet up with Ethel, who was dressed in a flowing light pink dress, and had her white hair tied in a long ponytail extending down far past her shoulder.

"Hue!" She picked up her dress as she began to walk a little more hurriedly towards him.

"Ethel!" Hue called as he hurried towards her as well, careful to not touch anything too dirty and ruin the dress suit and dress shoes he was wearing.

"Ready?" She asked as she held out a hooked arm.

Hue nodded as he hooked his own arm around it.

"Say Ethel…" He said as he looked around. "I'm sorry to ask this of you, but...I'm actually going to be busy talking to a lot of people and going to a lot of places at this party...so…"  
"I could go with you." Ethel gave a weak smile. "I don't mind."

"Are you sure?" Hue asked. "It's kind of dangerous and I don't want you in-"

"Hubert Swanson!" Ethel made probably the angriest face Hue had ever seen her make.

"How dare you think that a bearer of an SS Anne ticket is incapable of facing dangerous situations?"

She sighed. "Just tell me what it is you plan to do, and let me decide for myself."

Hue looked at his pokedex.

There were instructions from Carmen to not tell anyone about what he was doing.

He figured the key word there was _tell_.

He handed Ethel his pokedex, containing his conversation with Carmen.

Ethel's eyes widened.

"Hue…" She said, devoid of emotion. "I didn't know you were part of the police force."

"Yeah, he's sort of the appendix of the police force. Though, I'd personally prefer he not be removed." A hand reached up to touch Hue's shoulder.

Hue and Ethel turned around.

"Freddie!" Hue brought the small chef close into him.

It felt like he was reuniting with his long lost brother or something.

After taking one look at Hue and Ethel, Freddie gave Hue a disappointed stare and then began to walk aboard the ship.

"Freddie wait!" Hue called. "I want to talk to you about-"

"Sorry Hue." Freddie waved. "I need to be in the kitchen. Enjoy your date."

"We can visit him in the kitchen later." Ethel said as she handed Hue back his pokedex. "I still have more things I want to clarify with you about this."

"I see…" Ethel nodded in her monotone voice as Hue explained how he came to be involved in the kanto police force. "I'm glad I avoided Lavender Town, but I'm also sorry that I wasn't there to help you guys…"  
"It's not that I doubt you or anything." Hue began as he looked up. "But I don't think it would have made a difference. Someone who I'm sure is a powerful trainer was defeated back there."

Oh! Speaking of that woman...shouldn't she be on this ship somewhere?

"You met a trainer that you think is powerful?"

"You'd have to be powerful to stand up to Zapdos." Hue nodded. "Or reckless...but the way she acted...It reminded me a bit of you actually. I doubt she'd do anything without careful consideration."

Ethel gave a slight giggle.

At the moment, the two were heading towards a specified room aboard the ship.

Earlier they had been on the dance floor where most of the trainers invited had gathered, but Carmen's insistent pokedex messages managed to coerce them off of the floor.

So while they walked, the music from down below still played.

"Still though." Ethel said, still monotone.

"I'm surprised the Kanto Police Department just made you a detective like that…"

"Well…" Hue shrugged. "That's probably on account of my eyes and how they can work really quickly at times."

Ethel's own eyes widened at Hue mentioning his own.

"Hm." She nodded, almost as if it was more to herself than to Hue.

Hue wondered what she could be thinking about.

"Hue…" Ethel began after a few minutes of nervously stroking her long white ponytail. "I want to know...why do you want to become a pokemon trainer?"

Hue sighed.

"A long time ago, a pokemon trainer who is no longer with us, protected me and some girl with a dragonite doll from some very bad people that have turned out to be NTR." He told her. As he relayed the details to her, her eyes widened, as if she was realizing something.

"It sounds like you were in Cinnabar Island." She said. "That was the first time the public noticed NTR as a bona fide criminal syndicate. If I had to guess, I'd say that you were being held in Pokemon Mansion. It's the only building I can think of that kid trainers might be able to escape from."

This was great news for Hue…

Now he had a place to head to to figure out more about what happened that day...and to find clues regarding what _Subject 4_ meant, and whomever the Dragonite Girl was. Perhaps it could even help find her...

"It was because of pokemon trainers that I was able to survive that day." Hue continued. "I want to be a pokemon trainer because I want to be _sort of_ like him. I want to be strong and protect people I care about."

"That's wonderful…" Ethel said with a smile. "I'm glad there are people like you in this world, Hue."

Hue could feel himself blush.

"Oh, I'm just doing what I think is right heheh…" He nervously laughed. As he calmed down he looked out a boat window. "And there's something else I've wanted to do since Cerulean City…"

"What is it?" Ethel asked, seeming to get excited over this talk with Hue.

"I want to find _her._ " Hue said with a smile.

Ethel raised a confused eyebrow. " _Her_?"

Hue nodded.

"The Dragonite Girl." He said. "I want to find her."

"But...from what you told me…" Ethel said, with a small, nervous laugh. "You don't even remember this girl's face…"

"But I remember that I let myself get captured so that I could give that girl her Dragonite Doll." Hue nodded. "I have a feeling that even if I don't recognize her when I see her, she'll recognize me."

"What are you going to do when you find her?" Ethel asked.

"Well, I'm going to-mmmph"

Hue and Ethel were both dragged into a nearby room.

"Here's the deal." Carmen said from a hatch.

She handed Hue a stack of files. "All five of these crewmen went missing while on cruise." She said. "The consensus among the remaining crew workers is that they all committed suicide, but-"

"I'm afraid I doubt that's the case." Ethel said right away.

"Ahem." Carmen cleared her throat. "Hue, I told you not to tell anyone about this case…Especially not someone as important as Ethel Ross. What the hell are you even doing pestering her anyway?"

"He isn't pestering me, and he didn't tell me anything." Ethel said, her eyes narrowing. She was starting to speak in a more regal manner now. Perhaps the way she spoke to challengers at her parents' gym? "I read all about this case when I took his pokedex. He's also my date to the party, so I would appreciate you not be rude to the guest I've decided to bring, because you would also be insulting me, which would in turn be insulting my mother. And you don't want to do that, do you Detective Yiddle?"

Carmen cringed. "Sorry." She said as she bowed her head.

Hue looked at Ethel in amazement.

She was able to shut Carmen up…

It seemed like every time he and Ethel did something, he learned something about her that made him like her even more.

"In any case, you're right." Carmen nodded. "One of the crewmen noticed that the occupation of all five alleged suicide victims was the same across the board: Safety Officer."

Hue and Ethel looked at each other.

"Safety Officer...suicides?" Hue finally asked, but Carmen had already disappeared.

"We need to know the name of the crewman that thinks something is fishy." Ethel said in a thinking pose.

"It looks like we might have to do some asking around." Hue agreed. "For now, let's head back down to the ballroom and talk to some of the other party-goers. I'm sure we'll run into some coordinators for you to talk to as well."

"You...you remembered why I wanted to come to the party?" Ethel seemed shocked.

"Of course I did…" Hue said quite matter of factly.

Ethel gave a cheerful smile and the two headed back down to the ballroom.

"Oh, wait!" Hue said as he held out his arm, blocking Ethel from moving. "Hang on a sec…"

Hue took out his pokedex and began to the play the Phoenix Wright Investigation theme.

He was going to enjoy his sleuthing music, but a large banging against the door that he and Ethel had just left, attracted them back there.

Aura was standing in the room.

Hue opened the door.

"Whew!" Aura said as she untucked Hue's suit and used it to dry her hair off.

"The hell are you doing?" Hue asked.

"Huey, my hair's all wet…" Aura moaned. "I didn't know the water would be that cold either…."

It was at this point that both Ethel and Hue noticed that Aura was wearing a swimsuit, and not a dress or any other clothes for that matter.

"A-are you okay?" Ethel asked, confused.

Aura looked at Ethel, and how dressed up she was, and then looked at Hue, who was similarly dressed up.

"I didn't realize that I was a replaceable helper." She said, with quite the evil look on her face.

"You aren't!" Hue frantically announced. "Aura, Ethel just happens to be how I was able to get on the ship without sneaking on!"

"She's sneaking on?" Ethel gasped, somehow legitimately taken aback by what, to Hue, was quite standard Aura behavior.

"Oh please, I'm not _stealing_ anything." Aura rolled her eyes.  
" _Stealing?_ " Ethel repeated, completely surprised. "I don't think anyone has any intention of stealing anything…"

"Well then…" Hue said, eager to get everyone to the ballroom. "There isn't a dress code, so Aura, you should be fine. If you get cold tell me, and I'll-"

"I'm cold, Huey…" Aura shivered.

Hue sighed and took off his blazer. "It's not much, but that should help at least a little bit."

Aura and Hue were just different enough in size that Hue's blazer completely covered Aura's swimsuit, making it look like she was wearing nothing but the blazer.

"That might give people the wrong idea…" Hue said. "Aura, don't keep the blazer buttoned like that. Keep it unbuttoned so that others know that-"

"But I'm cold." Aura gave a pouty face.

How could this woman be fifteen? She was behavior more akin to five.

"Fine." Hue sighed. "We don't have time for this anyway. Come on, let's go."

As Hue left towards the ballroom, Aura stayed behind with Ethel, as they stared each other down.

"You were talking with him weren't you?" Aura asked.

Ethel nodded. "I never imagined that _he_ would be one of the Subjects." She said. "That was a scary time for me as well….and...Of course..you and your brother hit a pretty rough patch after that."

Aura sighed. "I know who you are." She said.

Ethel remained stalwart. "I know who you are." She repeated.

"Then you'll know why I don't trust you around Huey." Aura's eyes narrowed.

"That whole 'I'm cold' skit wasn't necessary for you to make your point." Ethel said. "And I understand why you might not be trusting. I assure you, that I have no intention of putting Hue in any harm's way but you need to learn to rely on other people, for your own good. You're trying to do something impossible."

"The one trying to achieve the impossible is you." Aura's eyes squinted. "I haven't told him anything yet, but he'll find out eventually. He's going to find out who you are. Who you _really_ are."

"Same goes for you." Ethel squinted her own eyes. "He doesn't know the truth behind you either. In fact, it seems you're even neglecting to tell him the truth about himself."

"I'm going to say this once to you, very clearly." Aura said, her stare capable of killing with a direct gaze.

"If I think, even for a _second_ that you're harming Huey, I will do _everything_ in my power to-"

"Come on guys!" Hue called.

"On our way Huey!" Aura called back. She turned back to Ethel.

"To make sure you can never throw a poke-ball again." Aura finished her threat.

Ethel sighed. "Have you got your threats out of the way? Are you willing to be on the same side for once now?"

"Don't act like you weren't also giving threats." Aura squinted her eyes again. "But...I suppose for now I'll call a truce."

The three talked to many trainers in the ballroom, but nothing interesting came up.

"Sorry Aura…" Diane told Aura. "I really don't know anything about this…If you ask me, I think this whole scenario seems a little fake."

Her eyes shifted around a bit.

"By the way, how's your progress on Huey going? Ethel may be my traveling partner, but I'm rooting for ya, girl!"

"Th-there's nothing going on like that!" Aura turned red as she began to leave, but stopped, turned, and gave a quick curtsey. "But thank you for your input." Aura then walked away and began to look for other trainers to interrogate to see if any might also think the whole scenario was fake.

"I know that the only trainer not in the ballroom right now is Freddie Franks because he's a chef invited into the kitchen…" Helen Lang said to Ethel. "I'm sorry Ethel, I wish I could help more, but the only pokemon I have on me right now is Rhydon."

"Okay, thank you." Ethel said with a bow. She was about to leave when she turned around. "By the way, Helen...I think I saw something the other day that you might find interesting-"

But Helen was already being pulled away by other nagging trainers who didn't realize that Ethel was currently part of an investigation team.

"I've been doing research on this cruise for quite a while." Davon mused to Hue. "And I think you might be in luck with me my good friend. I've learned a fascinating tidbit of information about this ship!"

Hue raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

Davon looked around, made sure his hair was nice and gelled back, and motioned for Hue to lean his ear in.

"There are only four jobs anyone can have on this ship, besides the Captain of course, for a total of five jobs to 'choose' from."

"What are they?" Hue asked.

"Chef." Davon said as he put a finger down.

"Waiter/Room Service, y'know, deliver food and take order stuff.." Down went the second finger.

"Housekeeping." The third finger went down.

"and finally…."

Davon looked around one more time to make extra sure that no one was listening.

"Someone from the Kanto Police Force."

Hue suddenly froze up.

"Davon…" He said. "I think I might have been approaching this problem the wrong way…"

"What problem?" Davon asked. "I just wanted to let you in on some secrets is all. Can't let word get out that SS Anne is so prone to infiltration, you know?"

Hue put his hand to his head and shook it.

"Such an elaborate set-up…" Hue shook his head. "I need to find Ethel and Aura right away."

"I think I saw them head towards upp-"

Before Davon could finish his sentence, Hue saw it again.

The figure with in black with the crimson letters.

Without so much as a second thought, Hue went after the human-shaped thing that seemed to be following him everywhere.

"Get back here!" He called as he chased his follower past the kitchens.

"Hue?" Freddie asked as he stuck his head out.

"Freddie!" Aura yelled, as she, in only the swimsuit, ran ahead of Ethel, Diane, Davon, and Helen. "Go with the others and get everyone off the boat!"

"Freddie, what's going on?" One of the chefs asked.

"We're all going to die if we don't get off the boat!" Freddie said as he sent out his Charmeleon.

"Sound the smoke alarm buddy!" He told it.

"Ooh!" Diane said as she sent her own Charmeleon out. "You too, Charolette!"

"Aura!" Helen Lang called. "Where are you going?"

"I'm getting Huey!" Aura yelled as she turned the corner, leaving everyone else to get off the ship.

As Hue caught up to the man in the uniform, he was able to confirm an NTR affiliation.

"So, you've caught up to me." The grunt said. "Unfortunately for you…"

He held out a button.

"I can finally dispose of you for the boss. I might even get promoted to admin!"

"You won't get away with this!" Hue shouted.

"And who's going to stop me?" The grunt asked. "The police? I've been an insider on this ship for _years_ kid. I got _rid_ of all the police here! Just had to tweak the job titles a little on the files. I knew reporting in would get them to send you here….Subject 4."

Subject 4...So this guy knew about him huh?

"Now...finally...prepare to be taken out of this game…"

Hue didn't know what he meant by that, but he sent out a pokemon anyway.

"Douglas!" He yelled as he sent out his Wartortle.

"Boom." The grunt said as the button was pressed.

*Boom*

Hue opened his eyes just in time to see the Protect from Douglas fading away.

He sighed a sigh of relief.

Or at least he would have, had he not been completely submerged in water.

He began to choke on the water he had accidentally swallowed.

"Tortle!" He saw Douglas shouting at him, and pulling him up by one arm.

Douglas? He thought. He didn't quite know what was going on…

Only that he couldn't breathe.

Only that everything was getting darker, and his eyes were getting heavy and hard to keep open.

He felt something soft under his other arm, and turned his head.

Was that some kind of mermaid helping him?

No...they didn't exist...Maybe someone wearing...a swimsuit?

Hue saw a pair of piercing green eyes looking at him right before his own closed.

"-y! Uey! Huey, wake up!" Hue could hear Aura's voice. It sounded hoarse, like she had just been doing a lot of yelling.

"Aura just let me-" He heard Ethel's voice, monotone and calm as it normally was..

"No!" Aura yelled as she gripped onto Hue. "Don't touch him! None of you touch him!"

"Aura, I'm not going to-"

"I don't care!" Aura screamed.

"He's _my_ partner not yours!" She was starting to sob. " _My_ partner!"

"Not _yours_!" She pointed at Davon. "Not _yours_." She pointed at Diane. "Not _yours._ " She pointed at Helen.

"And _especially not yours!_ " She shrieked at Ethel.

"He's _Mine!_ Huey's _Mine_!" She whimpered.

"Mine…"

After Hue coughed up the last bit of water from his lungs, he began to moan.

"Aura…" He moaned.

"You…..sound….like….the Wingulls from Finding Finneon..."

"S-shut up…" Aura said through tears, as she wiped her eyes.

"You know those would've been lame last words if things were going the other way."

"Did we make it?" Hue asked.

"All the trainers made it off the ship safely." Ethel said. "The chefs are also all accounted for, as well as the Housekeepers."

"What about everyone else?" Hue asked.

"Well...Not everyone else made it…" Helen said, looking down.

"The Captain is among those we found dead."

Hue suddenly felt a terrible feeling in his chest.

People...people were killed.

He was just...they were all just...the targets of a terrorist attack…

"I...am going to say something awful okay Huey?" Aura asked.

Hue shrugged.

"I'm glad that it's them dead, and not you." Aura said. "I never want to leave our travel group." She snuggled up to him.

"Ever."

Hue gave a slight laugh.

He hadn't realized it completely at the time, but he knew that Aura had put her life at serious risk in order to save his, and he didn't think he'd ever be able to repay her enough.

That night, in the pokemon center room, Aura slept in Hue's bed.

Hue did not get angry.


	28. Race To The Vermillion Badge!

Chapter 28:

Roaring Thunder! Race to the Vermillion Badge!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Bite, Water Pulse

Ace(Pidgey): Mud-Slap, Gust, Quick Attack, Roost

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Arthur(Ralts): Confusion, Lucky Chant, Teleport, Disarming Voice

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

"No way!" Aura said as she and Hue argued with each other at the Vermillion Gym. "I'm going first!"

"It's my turn to challenge first!" Hue retorted. "Come on! I'm the one who almost drowned, let me have this!"

"I'm the one that made sure you _didn't_ drown!" Aura replied. "How about showing a little gratitude and just letting me go first?"

Colonel Surge looked down at both of them from his gym leader's seat.

"You two better decide quickly." He sighed. "I have to shut the gym down for a few days after whichever one of you I face."

Aura and Hue looked at each other.

They hadn't expected only one of them would get to battle Colonel Surge.

"Why can't you just face both of us in a double battle or something?" Hue asked, rather irritated.

"I'm only one gym leader, kid." Colonel Surge replied bluntly. "I don't take on any gym students unless they served on the force like me, so it's currently only me and the resident referee."

"I'm battling him." Aura was not giving in.

"No, I'm going to battle him." Hue replied.

"Hrm…" Surge crossed his arms. "Do either of you really think that you're strong enough to take on a gym? You both seem like inexperienced little kids to me."

He squinted his eyes at Hue's pokemon in particular.

"I can see through your pokeballs you know." He said. "You don't have a single pokemon capable of resisting electric attacks, and half your party is weak against my gym's specialty."

"Your point?" Hue asked, wondering what Surge's point was.

"My point is that I don't need you to challenge me to know that there is no way in hell you'll ever beat me."

"So then, I get the battle?" Aura asked, excited.

Surge looked over her pokemon. "I don't think you're in a much better position little girl. You only have two pokemon that are resistant to my electric attacks, and only one of those two pokemon can effectively fight back against them, but even then the moves it knows are wildly inaccurate for my-"

"Oh shut up." Hue rolled his eyes, annoyed at this guy. "I personally think you're avoiding a battle because you know you'll lose."

"Oh please." Surge laughed condescendingly. "My grandmother could defeat the two of you, and she's six feet under!"

Suddenly, Surge's phone started to buzz. "Hang on kids." He said as he took the phone call. "I'll deal with you brats in a second."

Aura and Hue looked at each other.

They shrugged. Neither one seemed to know what was going on.

"No…" Surge said into the phone. "Look, I don't know okay? I haven't been up there recently!...Because I have a lot on my fucking plate! I've got challengers up the wazoo, I had to be a judge for a pokemon contest filled with underwhelming participants, the Arceus-damn SS Anne _sank_ due to a terrorist attack, and I've got to set up and then judge a Cooking Contest! It's so much I need to close the gym down for a few days. That's why I haven't been up there!"

"Up...up where?" Aura asked, despite Hue shaking his head and warning her to not get involved.

"Ugh." Surge sighed. "Hang on, Mike."

He turned to Aura and Hue.

"Rock Tunnel Town. They wanted me to participate in the race, but I've been too busy. Now if you two don't mind, this call is important."

He turned back to his phone call.

"So, Mike, sorry about that. I'm busy dealing with a couple of brats who are too impatient for a battle with me, even though I've made it _perfectly clear_ to them that I intended to close the gym for a few days…..Yeah….yeah, I heard about that...I hope Lavender Town is alright...Really? That many people wanted to participate in the race? I'm impressed…A come from behind victory? Who won?...wait…" Surge looked directly at Hue. "Describe him again, Mike, and carefully. Don't miss a single detail….He _is_?"

Surge seemed to realize something that no one else did. "Alright, Mike...okay...yeah, I'll be there next time...Alright, talk to you later."

Surge hung up his phone and stared Hue down.

"That was the mayor of Rock Tunnel Town." He said. "And he gave me some _very_ interesting information about you."

Aura squinted her eyes. It looked like she was trying to shoot some sort of laser beam at Surge the way she was glaring.

"What was so interesting?" She asked.

"Well…" Surge replied condescendingly. "I always expected Subject 4 would turn up sooner or later, but to think he would win a Pokemon Race, why, that's a strange way to avoid unwanted attention."

"S-Subject 4…" Hue repeated. "H-how do you know that about me?"

"Relax." Surge said as he noticed Aura getting ready to throw a pokeball. "I only know because I was one of the people interrogating Chandler. I was a cop before I was a soldier after all."

"Chandler?" Hue asked. He didn't know the name.

"He's suspected to be the man in charge of Neo Team Rocket." Aura said through gritted teeth.

"And if he isn't the man who killed my brother, he'll know who is…"

Hue gulped.

He hated seeing Aura get that angry. It hindered her already questionable ability to think rationally.

"In...any case…" Surge said, getting to the point. "I suppose I can make a special deal to allow the both of you an opportunity to earn a badge. Follow me inside the gym."

The inside of Colonel Surge's gym reminded Hue of a circuit board. Everything looked very mechanical, and if it weren't for the yellow color scheme, he might have guessed that this was a steel type gym.

Surge led both Hue and Aura to a room with no battle field. Instead, there was a large race track.

"Let's have a battle race." Surge said. "All three of us. I'll yield a badge to whoever can defeat my pokemon."

"How is this going to work?" Aura wondered aloud, a bigger determination in her eyes than ever to win a badge, probably so she could focus on tracking down this mysterious Chandler, who no one knew for sure was the head honcho of NTR.

"Allow me to explain." Surge said as he held up three pokeballs. "This will be a relay race between three teams of three pokemon each. Each pokemon of each team will be responsible for completing one lap around the track, making this a three lap race."

Surge pointed to four control rooms overlooking the track. "We'll be able to give our pokemon communication from those control rooms. Since there are only three of us, we won't need to use one. Now, if a pokemon falls off the track, it will have to start its lap over, and similarly, if a pokemon faints, a resident nurse will revive it, but it will have to start its lap over." Surge explained.

"If your pokemon can finish the race before mine can, then you'll have earned the Lightning Badge from my gym. Remember, since this is a relay race, a pokemon must make contact with its partner before its partner can start the next lap."

"And all the while, we're allowed to use pokemon moves to battle each other and increase our chance of winning, right?" Aura asked.

"Sharp mind, little girl." Surge nodded. "It wouldn't be a _battle_ race otherwise."

Surge looked at Hue.

"What do you say, Subject 4? Is this a good compromise?"

"My name is Hue." Hue replied. "And yes, I think this'll work out just fine."

Hue thought about the fastest pokemon he had on him, and gulped.

Gumshoe and Arthur were both going to be part of this relay, but then his final pokemon for it...Ace, his Pidgey, was not the best choice for an electric gym.

He was starting to understand what Surge had meant about not being prepared.

Team Aura consisted of Koko, her Beedrill, as the first lap runner, followed by Purin, her Wigglytuff, and finishing off would be Karakara, her shiny Cubone.

Team Hue consisted of Gumshoe, his Growlithe, starting off, followed by Arthur, his Ralts, and finishing off would be Ace, his Pidgey.

Team Surge consisted of only electric type pokemon. Staring off would be a Voltorb, followed by a Pikachu, and finally a Raichu to finish.

"Ready…" The ref said as Hue sat alone in his control booth. He couldn't see or hear Aura or Surge from here. All he could focus on was the race track. This meant that he'd have to anticipate his opponents moves, otherwise it would be too late for his pokemon.

Koko, Gumshoe, and Voltorb all lined up at the starting line.

The race track was straightforward and only a simple loop, but it was elevated to a height so that pokemon could be knocked out of bounds in order to restart laps.

"Set…" The ref continued.

"You've got this Gumshoe." Hue assured his Growlithe through a speaker set that had been attached to each pokemon so that they could hear. "When the ref tells you to go, I want you to take off as quickly as you can okay?"

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe barked into the headset.

"Go!" The ref stated.

Instantly, Koko zoomed ahead and into the lead. "She's using Tailwind." Hue told Gumshoe as he ran a pretty neck and neck race with Surge's Voltorb.

Hue felt a slight pain in his head.

His eyes began to move around like crazy.

Well, if he was going to use his analytical abilities, this was definitely the place to do it.

He noticed that Surge's Voltorb was charging up for something.

"[Charge]." Dean informed Hue. "An [Electric] type move. The user boosts the power of the Electric type move it uses on its next turn, as well as increases its special defence."

"Wonderful." Hue said sarcastically. "Scan Voltorb, what's its entry say?"

"[Voltorb]." Dean stated. "The [Ball] Pokemon. This mysterious pokemon uses strong Electric attacks and is often found near power plants. Use extreme caution, Voltorb my explode without warning."

Explode?

The Voltorb let go an enormous shock wave across the entire room, although the only pokemon to be hit by it was Gumshoe.

"Gumshoe, are you okay?" Hue asked through the headset as Voltorb took the lead on him.

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe called back through the headpiece.

"It's okay, Gumshoe." Hue said, weighing his situation. "Just focus on finishing the lap. Arthur should be able to make up for any lost time."

"Beedrill has completed its lap!" The ref announced to everyone. "Aura and Wigglytuff are now on lap 2!"

Hue noticed that Surge's Voltorb was firing Sonic Boom attacks at Purin, who was taking them like a champ.

This was a good thing for him, since it distracted both Surge and Aura from Gumshoe, not that he was a threat, being in last place and all.

"Voltorb has completed its lap!" The ref announced. "Surge and Pikachu are now on lap 2!"

Gumshoe seemed to be getting tired.

"Just a little further Gumshoe!" Hue called though the headset.

Just as Gumshoe was about to finish his lap, Hue noticed that Surge's Pikachu was catching up to Purin with what looked like a Quick Attack.

"Arthur…" Hue called into his headset. "You know what to do once Gumshoe touches you right?"

"Ralts!" Arthur nodded.

"Growlithe has completed its lap!" The ref announced. "Hue and Ralts are now on lap 2!"

"Now, Arthur!" Hue called.

"Rallllts!" Arthur screamed right at the Pikachu that was almost at Purin, knocking the Pikachu off of the track.

"I don't believe it!" The ref said. "Pikachu has been knocked off the track! Surge is now in last place!"

Hue gulped. He probably really angered Surge with that attack, but now wasn't the time to lose focus.

"Teleport!" Hue told Arthur. "Let's get into the lead here!"

"Ralts!" Arthur confirmed as he teleported to right behind Ace, and tagged her.

"Ralts has completed its lap!" The ref announced excited. "Hue and Pidgey are now on lap 3!"

Absolutely right away, Ace was hit with a Shock Wave from Surge's Pikachu, who was once again, neck and neck with Purin.

"Pidgey has fainted!" The ref stated. "It will be revived and then will re-start the lap!"

As Ace was revived and brought back to the starting point, Purin and Pikachu both tagged their final partners.  
"Wigglytuff and Pikachu have finished their laps!" The ref announce, excited. "Aura and Cubone, and Surge and Raichu are now on lap 3!"

"Everyone's on the same lap, Ace…" Hue told his Pidgey. "Use Mud-Slap on Raichu, and then Quick Attack your way to the lead. We can't afford to lose here!"

"Pidgey!" Ace cooed into the headset as she splashed some mud on Raichu's face, and sped up.

Hue noticed that Aura wasn't making any effort to have Karakara fight just yet, which was weird, as it looked like the perfect time to attack Raichu, but instead, Karakara continued to run along the track.

Hue noticed Raichu charging up. This didn't look good.

"Ace!" Hue called through the headset. "Get ready to Roost, you'll be hit with an electric attack soon!"

"Pidgey!" Ace chirped as she roosted down on the track, right before getting hit with another Shock Wave from Surge's Raichu.

"Pidgey has fainted." The ref announced again. "It will be revived and then will re-start the lap!"

Thanks to the Quick Attack from earlier, Ace wasn't too far behind either Raichu or Karakara when she had to re-start her lap for the second time.

Hue knew that it wouldn't help considering he was dealing with Shock Wave, an attack that never misses, but he felt like it would make a difference somehow.

"Mud-Slap on Raichu again, Ace." Hue called.

"Pidgey!" Ace cooed as she slapped mud straight into the Raichu's face once again.

And once again, Ace was hit with a Shock Wave.

"Pidgey has fainted!" The ref announced yet again. "It will be revived and then will re-start the lap!"

"Ace, are you okay?" Hue asked worried. "We can wait and challenge the gym conventionally if you think you might need to train more."

"Pidgey!" Ace shouted through the headset. "Pidgey! Pidgey!"

"Okay!" Hue replied. "We can keep going. I just don't want you getting hurt too badly out there!"

Ace was far behind both Karakara and Raichu now.

Surge was in the lead, with Aura trailing behind. A Cubone probably wasn't the best pokemon to try to race with.

Then, as if it was some sort of early birthday present, Karakara threw its bone, knocking out Raichu.

"Raichu has fainted!" The ref announced. "It will be revived and then will re-start the lap!"

Hue's heart skipped a beat.

Aura was waiting to do that. The reason she hadn't been attacking anyone this whole time was for that moment.

She wanted to make sure that she helped Hue as much as she possibly could without any communication.

"Cubone has finished the third lap!" The ref announced. "Aura has defeated Surge in the battle race!"

"Hear that Ace?" Hue asked. "Now it's our turn to defeat Surge in the battle race. Full Quick Attack ahead!"

Ace was now nearly at the finish line.

"Almost there Ace, just a little-"

Shock Wave.

"Pidgey has fainted." The ref, once more, announced. "It will be revived and then will re-start the lap."

Upon re-starting the lap, Raichu was already nearing the finish line.

"Ace!" Hue called. "Turn around and face Raichu! I don't care what you do, but you can't let Raichu cross that line!"

"Pid-gey!" Ace cawed as she turned around and rammed Raichu with a Quick Attack, taking the mouse by surprise and knocking it off the track.

"Raichu has fallen off the track." The ref announced. "It will re-start the lap!"

"Now, Quick Attack!" Hue called through the headset.

"Pidgey!" Ace chirped as she zoomed back in the correct direction.

"Ace, I don't know what to do." Hue said through his headset. "But we both know that a Shock Wave is coming your way."

As Hue said it, he could see the electricity zipping towards Ace.

"There it is Ace!" Hue called frantically. "Whatever you do, don't let it make you faint!"

"Pid-Geyyyy!" Ace cawed as she began to flap her wings rapidly, creating a giant tornado.

"That's not Gust…" Hue said to Dean. "That is far too powerful to be Gust…"

"[Twister]." Dean informed Hue. "A [Dragon] type attack. The user whips up a vicious tornado to tear at the opposing pokemon. This may also make them flinch."

The large Twister rammed into the Shock Wave causing a massive explosion.

"Ace, are you okay in there?" Hue asked.

A bright light began to shine through the smoke that the explosion caused, and then flew out of the clouds and down the race-track, until it disappeared to reveal…

"Pidge-o-tto!" Ace chirped as she flew faster than ever.

"[Pidgeotto]" Dean observed. "The [Bird] Pokemon. The evolved form of Pidgey. It is armed with sharp claws and dives from the sky to capture its prey. Unlike the more gentle Pidgey, Pidgeotto can be dangerous. Approach with extreme caution."

"From small bird that is preyed upon to ferocious bird of prey?" Hue asked excited. "That's amazing!"

Ace zoomed across the finish line and gave Surge's Raichu one last Mud-Slap for good measure.

"Pidgeotto has finished the lap!" The ref announced. "Hue has defeated Surge in the battle race!"

"Ace!" Hue held out an arm for his newly evolved Pidgeotto to land on. "You were amazing, girl! I'm sorry I had to put you through all that…"

"Pidgeooo." Ace triumphantly puffed out her chest in glorious victory.

"Well, a deal is a deal…" Surge said bitterly as he handed both Aura and Hue a lightning badge.

"Still Subject 4, why didn't you ever attack the other challenger?"

"Well, it wasn't like she was attacking me either…" Hue said.

"Well yeah." Aura rolled her eyes as though this was obvious. "We're partners, duh…"

"You two...are partners?" Surge asked. He turned to face Aura.

"Listen little girl, I don't know what you think you're doing but Subject 4 shouldn't be paraded around like-."

"His _name_ …" Aura squinted her eyes. "Is _Huey_."

"Actually my name is _Hue_." Hue said. "But...thank you for reminding him that I'm a human."

"Are you?" A voice that Hue didn't recognize asked.

"Am I what?" Hue responded.

"Human." The voice replied. "Not many humans can keep a pokemon inside them."

"How does that even work?" Hue asked the voice, hoping it might know something.

Instead he just got a hand waved in his face, though this hand didn't belong to the voice. This hand belonged to...

"Huey?" Aura waved her hand in front of his face. "You talking to yourself?"

"I...I was?"

"Were you?" Aura asked confused. "It looked like you were talking to someone, but there isn't anyone here."

"Hrm." Surge looked over Hue. "Get some rest." He suggested. "You've put too much of a strain on your brain by racing me today. I recommend the two of you stay in Vermillion for just a tad longer. There's a Cooking Contest coming up soon you see, and some of the best chefs from all over Kanto are going to be participating. The theme is seafood so try to keep any aquatic pokemon that might be used as seafood in their pokeballs."

"Cooking Contest?" Aura and Hue looked at each other.

"He'll probably be there." Aura said.

Hue nodded. "It's been lonely without him, that's for sure."

"Then it's settled!" Aura decided. "We're going to reunite with our friend, Freddie!"


	29. Vermillion Cooking Contest!

Chapter 29:

Vermillion Cooking Contest!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Bite, Water Pulse

Ace(Pidgeotto): Mud-Slap, Quick Attack, Roost, Twister

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Arthur(Ralts): Confusion, Lucky Chant, Teleport, Disarming Voice

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

"You want to _compete_ in the cooking contest?" Surge asked both Hue and Aura, who nodded as though they were begging for treats.

"I...I guess we can squeeze you two in somewhere…" Surge said as he looked over the crew setting everything up.

He handed Hue and Aura some forms.

"Just fill out the seafood based dish that you'll be cooking and the pokemon you want to use to help you out."

"Is there a limit?" Hue asked as he looked over the forms.

"You can use up to all the pokemon in your party if you so desire." Surge informed them.

"But I recommend you be careful about what you intend to make. Your Pidgeotto obviously wouldn't take kindly to any type of bird being cooked, and would probably only hinder you if you asked her to help out."

"So...I shouldn't use Cooper if I'm making seafood…" Hue looked at his Cloyster's pokeball. "He's the epitome of sea delicacy."

"You should also think long and hard about what you're going to make." Surge said.

"If you don't have the dish ready by the opening time, you'll be disqualified immediately."

"We'd like to help set up." Aura said as she looked at Hue.

Hue nodded.

Freddie was in town already for the SS Anne party, which means he would probably be volunteering with the set-up for this Cooking Contest just like the one in Cerulean City.

"Yeah, could you direct us to where the other helper chefs are?" He added.

"Freddie!" Aura called as she ran up to him, dragging Hue by the hand, as he was struggling to stay at her pace.

"Hue, Aura!" Freddie smiled as he turned around. "I'm glad to see the two of you are both alright after... _that_ incident."

He gave Hue a look.

"So...did anything I don't want to hear about happen between the two of you after she said those things to all of us?"

Both Hue and Aura went red and looked in different directions for anything to change the subject.

"So we're going to compete against you in the Cooking Contest…" Aura eventually decided would be the best thing to say to move the conversation along.

"Oh really?" Freddie grinned.

"Then you'll have to deal with my new and improved kitchen staff."

He sent out not three, but four pokemon.

The first two were familiar.

"Charmeleon!" Charmeleon cheered as it ran around Hue and Aura excited. "Meleon!"

"Karp!" Freddie's Magikarp splashed about in a nearby puddle and he quickly returned it.

"Magikarp's not going to be helping today." Freddie said. "Not when seafood is the theme."

"There didn't seem to be a theme last time…" Hue observed.

Aura gave Hue a confused look. "Yes there was, Huey…" She said.

It was Hue's turn to act confused.

"Sauce." Freddie clarified. "The theme was foods with Sauce. You had spaghetti and I made Unfezant wings coated in some amazing sauce…"

"We also had burgers…" Hue began.

"Huey, look me in the eyes and tell me that there wasn't a Tauros-load of sauce on that burger." Aura said.

Hue couldn't do that for multiple reasons, for one she was perfectly correct, and the second reason being her eyes were always so...pierce-y.

"Fetch'd!" A Farfetch'd slapped its leek against Hue's leg.

"Farfetch'd, no!" Freddie said. "They might be competition, but they're our friends!"

He picked up Farfetch'd and showed it to Hue and Aura.

"This little girl is going to be of great help in this particular contest." Freddie said. "She'll be stirring the Crawdaunt Chowder that I'm making with her leek, adding a nice little zip to the flavor. And serving two to three customers at a time will be…"

"Haunter!" A Haunter appeared behind Aura, scaring the ever-living daylights out of her.

"Eeeep!" She impulsively clung onto Hue's arm.

"It's just Haunter." Freddie laughed. "I suppose you guys remember her as a Ghastly…"

"Haunter huh." Hue held up his pokedex.

He was interested to see what kind of pokemon Haunter was compared to Ghastly.

"[Haunter]" Dean announced. "The [Gas] Pokemon. After evolving from Ghastly, this pokemon can learn the Dream Eater and Psychic attacks. Haunter can watch opponents by hiding in walls and slips through anything in its way."

"All the potential for spying and sabotage, yet you use her as a waitress." Aura shook her head almost disgracefully.

It was on that day that Hue made a solemn vow to never ever let Aura catch a Ghost-Type pokemon.

She clearly couldn't be trusted with their powers.

"So, what are y'all making?" Freddie asked, curious. "And who'll be helping you out? You aren't actual chefs…"

He turned to Aura.

"And if I remember correctly, you don't even know how to cook."

Aura cringed.

"Huey…" She began to say in one of those pleading voices. "Wanna form a cooking alliance?"

"I'm not going to cook your contest entry for you." Hue refused.

He turned to Freddie. "I've decided that I'm going to make Tentacool Stew."

He sent out the pokemon he had hired to help him.

"Wartortle!" Douglas cheered.

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe barked.

"Pidgeooooo!" Ace cooed.

"Ralts!" Arthur came out.

"Ace and Douglas will gather the fresh Tentacool." Hue began explaining, and then Arthur will hold them up in the air while I carefully cut around the poisonous bits. Then, Douglas will delude the broth, and Gumshoe will use Fire Fang to bring it to a boil. I'll add the tentacool in, and Ace will stir with a gentle Twister attack."

Freddie remained silent, but nodded to show he understood.

"Ralts…." Arthur muttered as he hid behind Hue's leg, wary of Freddie's pokemon.

"Remember them, Arthur?" Hue asked.

"Those are your friends from when you first hatched…"

Hue noticed the Farfetch'd. "Well, most of them are anyway."

"Tentacool Stew…" Freddie seemed disappointed. "I guess you always did enjoy making various soups and stews...but it's going to lose out to my Crawdaunt Chowder easily."

"We aren't here to _win_." Aura rolled her eyes.

"We're here to reunite with you. Huey's been so sad since we went our separate ways in Cerulean…"

"I'm pretty sure that _you_ were actually the one that wanted to postpone our trip to Saffron in order to reunite with Freddie." Hue brought up.

Aura looked away and bit her nail.

"Well, that's all just pesky details…" She said. "What's important is that we've all signed up for the contest and are together again."

"My next contest after this one _is_ in Celadon City…" Freddie said with a nod of his head. "And I do plan to go through Saffron on my way there. After all, I'm a Trainer too. I go out and earn badges like the rest of you."

Hue's eyes widened.

That was right, Freddie was one badge ahead of Hue and Aura if he recalled correctly.

"I haven't challenged the Vermillion Gym yet though." Freddie sighed. "I was busy with the SS Anne and now its closed for the Cooking Contest. I'll do it afterwards. You guys will stick around and watch, right?"

"Are you kidding?" Aura began to act incredibly out of character for someone that Hue had always known to not be as buddy-buddy with Freddie as she was being right now. "Of course! We'd _love_ to stay and watch!"

"And then after that, we head straight north to Saffron City!" Hue said, enthusiastically.

"Tch." Aura turned her head quickly. "I guess so."

"Aura, is something wrong?" Hue asked, sensing that Aura might not want to go to Saffron City for some reason.

"No." Aura said, biting her nail and looking away. "Nothing's wrong."

Oh, Arceus, her tell was so obvious...

"Don't 'Tch. I guess so.' me like that, and then say nothing's wrong!"

"Heyyy…" Freddie said as he returned his pokemon. "Aura, who are you using in the Cooking Contest and what are you making?"

"I'm glad you asked." Aura curtsied in her hakama.

"I've decided to go with sushi." She said with a sly smile.

"Ivysaur!" Fushi croaked.

"Beedrill!" Koko buzzed.

"Psyyyy...duck." Kodu quacked.

"Kodu and Koko will slice the Goldeen and Seaking respectively, and Fushi will wrap them in Razor Leaves, all the while emitting a Sweet Scent to give them a pleasant aroma instead of that grungy seafood smell." Aura explained.

Hue and Freddie looked at each other.

"You do realize a Razor Leaf would cut the roof of anyone's mouth right?" Freddie asked. "Those things are sharp…"

"Well, then Kodu can dampen it with water and Koko can cut the leaf before it's used to wrap the sushi."

"And where are you getting the rice for your sushi?" Hue asked.

Aura bit her nail and looked away again.

"Pesky details?" Hue guessed.

Aura nodded. "Very pesky."

The judges that went around sneered at everyone's seafood.

When they reached Aura's sushi, they each hesitantly put the food in their mouths.

It was the first time a judge had ever been sent to the hospital for a giant cut, which was bleeding out, on the roof of their mouth.

Aura's score ended up being a 3.

Out of 30.

And before anyone assumes that Aura only scored 1 point from each judge, the truth is that Aura's 3 came solely from Colonel Surge, who "enjoyed the battle the razor leaf put up."

Hue's Tentacool Stew fared much better than Aura's travesty.

"It's got that gamey feel that Tentacool have to it…" One of the judges said. "But it's a pretty good stew. The broth was a nice temperature, and there doesn't seem to be any hint of poison."

"What?" Surge asked as he took a bite out of the stew. "There's no challenge involved in eating Tentacool when all their poison bits have been removed!"

Hue failed to see how that was a bad thing, but it still caused Surge to change what would ahve been a 7 into a 6.

Hue's score ended up being 20.

It would have been 21 if it wasn't for Surge's fucking tantrum for no reason.

And of course, Freddie Franks took the absolute gold in the Contest while Aura and Hue didn't even place.

Freddie's Crawdaunt Chowder won the first place cash prize and the Berries from the Public's Chef award that happened at each contest.

"I guess you're in another league than us entirely, huh." Hue said to Freddie as he met up with Hue and Aura in the pokemon center.

"Yeah…" Aura agreed. "Isn't there anyone out there who can defeat you?"

"Well…" Freddie looked up at the ceiling.

"Since Ernest Cohen was arrested, I guess the only one who could possibly defeat me in a Cooking Contest would be a girl named Lindsey Bailey."

"Lindsey Bailey?" Aura asked.  
Freddie nodded. "She's a young chef our age. She's from Johto, but she's an expert on using and cooking Kanto pokemon."

"Sounds like your opposite." Hue joked. "After all, you grew up here and are great with cooking foreign foods."

After a long weekend of cooking, Hue looked at the clock on his pokedex.

There was still an hour and a half before the gym reopened and he needed to watch Freddie's match.

He decided that it would be a prudent idea to take a nap.

He foolishly ignored the fact that his head was still throbbing from the Battle Race with Colonel Surge.

He closed his eyes and went to sleep.

His dream began by repeating the exact same events that happened in his fever dream in Cerulean, only sped up in a rapid pace, and PJ's face had been replaced with the face of the Phineas Jones that Hue had met in Lavender Town. The Dragonite Girl remained hidden behind her Dragonite doll, and Subject 3 was still only ever mentioned. For a while Hue thought he was just experiencing the same fever dream... But this time, after flames enveloped two ice blue eyes and Hue screamed out in defiance, the scene around him changed.

He was in an underground lab, a needle was being jammed into him.

"The rest of the DNA…." The man shrouded in shadow with the cold ice blue eyes said, as he pushed down on the shot, and injected a purple fluid into Hue's vein.

"What are you doing?" A familiar girl's very worried and terrified voice asked in horror.

Hue turned his head from where he was being pinned down to the table to see…

"Dragonite Girl!" He yelled.

The man administering Hue's shot and looked over at the girl who was hiding behind a Dragonite Doll.

"Oh, so you wanted the rest of the DNA did you, Subject 2?" The man laughed. "I'd give this to Subject 3 before I'd even _think_ about giving it to you. You're far too weak to handle it. You can barely even handle what little DNA I gave you."

"G-get away from him!" The girl stammered.  
She tossed her Dragonite Doll towards the man but tripped as she did, and began to tumble down another small flight of stairs.

"Dragonite Girl!" Hue yelled, only to find he was back to his regular age, though clearly still dreaming, as he was now in an area of complete blackness.

Suddenly, appearing before him was a boy with satin blonde hair, royal blue eyes, and black frame glasses.

He was wearing jeans and a blue jacket.

"You're…Me…" Hue said as he looked up and down his dream reflection.

"I'm not you." The imposter Hue said. "I merely dwell inside of you. I'm the you that you call upon whenever you need a mystery solved, or an intense battle needs to be won, or when you sense life-threatening danger is afoot."

"You're the pokemon that lives inside me?" Hue asked for clarification.

The imposter Hue nodded.

"Then…" Hue gulped as he held up his dream version of Dean.

"What pokemon are you?"

Happy Birthday Freddie Franks!

A Special Look at Freddie's Team:

Freddie's Current Team: Charmeleon(Charmeleon): Ember, Flame Burst, Slash, Dragon Rage

Haunter(Haunter): Shadow Punch, Night Shade, Shadow Sneak, Psychic

Magikarp(Magikarp): Splash, Tackle, Flail

Farfetch'd: Aerial Ace, Air Slash, Slash, Steel Wing


	30. Freddie VS Surge!

Chapter 30:

Freddie VS Surge!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Bite, Water Pulse

Ace(Pidgeotto): Mud-Slap, Quick Attack, Roost, Twister

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Arthur(Ralts): Confusion, Lucky Chant, Teleport, Disarming Voice

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

"Huey!" Aura said with a worried voice as she shook Hue awake, interrupting his fever dream.

"Huey, are you okay? Can you hear me? Huey, wake up!"

"I'm fine! I can hear you! I'm awake, I'm awake!" Hue responded, startled, as he nearly fell off his bunk.

"Dammit, Aura! I hadn't gotten that far in my dream before! What's so worrisome you had to wake me up?"

Aura put her hand to her heart and sighed a sigh of relief.

"Good, you were just dreaming. I was really worried there too."

"And what had you so worried?" Hue sighed as he repeated his question.

"You had what looked like a heart attack…" Aura said. She looked down at the floor, and then back up at Hue with sad eyes. "And then you stopped breathing..."

Hue gulped.

He'd stopped...breathing?

"I stopped...breathing?" He asked, confused.

He felt like he was breathing rather heavily in his dream…

"Argh!" He felt a searing pain go through his head.

"Perhaps you'll find out another time…" He heard a voice in the back of his mind tell him, talking incredibly fast.

"Argh…" The pain was coming from inside his head, the way that sometimes a person doing nothing will feel a searing pain from inside their skull for no apparent reason.

It felt like that, only much worse, and lasted much longer.

"Huey!" Aura said as she quickly put an ice pack on Hue's head where he had been holding it.

Hue didn't think an ice pack would help.

He was so wrong. The second it touched his head, he felt a strange relief. The pain was still there, but it was, he didn't know, bearable?

Of course it was. Hue kept forgetting that Aura was more than familiar with his condition. After all, her brother had it.

"Huey, you were doing _that thing_ during our race with Colonel Surge, weren't you?" She asked, showcasing exactly how observant she was being.

Her dark green eyes were the spears that could pierce anything.

Hue remained silent, feeling like he was a pet Poochyena that had just been caught going to the bathroom inside the house.

Aura gave a sigh, that sounded almost relieved.

"Maybe we should hole up here in Vermillion for another week or two."

She bit her nail and looked away.

"Saffron City won't be going anywhere…"

Again, Hue thought to himself. She's trying to get me to avoid going to Saffron again.

What could be there that she didn't want him to see?

The only way to find out would be…

"Hhhup!" Hue said as he stood up. "No that's okay." He said, feigning his pain as best he could.

"This ice pack really helps, and we don't want to cancel on Freddie when we've already agreed to travel with him up to Celadon City."

Hue was glad that Aura's stares couldn't kill.

He was clearly not as good at feigning relief as he'd hoped.

"Hue, Aura!" Freddie smiled as Hue and Aura met Freddie in front of Colonel Surge's gym.

"Are you guys ready?" He asked. "I'm about to show you the battle style that I've learned from all my years in the kitchen with pokemon."

"I can't speak for _this_ one." Hue said, looking at Aura.

"But I'm personally quite excited to see you battle, Freddie. I've always wondered the type of strategy you'd use."

"Heh." Freddie chuckled. "You'd imagine more people would challenge me to battles in order to get free food."

Hue and Aura looked at each other.

"Well…" Aura said, simply stating the facts. "From what we've seen, you generally make free food for anyone."

"I suppose you're right." Freddie shrugged. "But constant practice is a good thing. Especially in culinary arts."

"So...you don't get to practice battling that often?" Hue asked raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, no, I get plenty of practice in." Freddie said, clarifying. "I just end up being the one who challenges others rather than the one who ends up receiving challenges. I've only been challenged to a battle by three trainers."

"Do we know any of them?" Aura asked.

"Well, I believe I've already mentioned Lindsey Bailey to you guys…" Freddie began. "And Morren Rex challenged me while you guys were on your date at Cerulean Cape."

Aura nodded and motioned for Freddie to continue.

"Wasn't a date." Hue felt the need to clarify. "It was a series of unfortunate misunderstandings on my part."

"Whatever you say, hotshot." Freddie grinned his imp-like grin. "Anyways, I doubt the two of you know the last of the three. They're kind of...seclusive. They're actually from Hoenn, but they've made a 'fresh start' of sorts here in Kanto. His name was Terrence Lovelace."

Hue didn't know who that was, Freddie was right.

He looked over at Aura.

She didn't know who it was either.

"Well…" Hue finally sighed. "Let's all head inside. Surge is probably waiting for you."

"You guys go on in first." Freddie smiled. "Get into some seats and get comfy. I…"

Freddie looked embarrassed.

"I'd prefer to empty my bowels before I go in there."

A reasonable enough request.

"Come on Aura." Hue said as he held the door to the gym open for her.

"We're watching this battle Freddie." Aura said. "So you better give us a good show, you got that?"

Freddie nodded.

Aura nodded back and turned to Hue. "Alright, Huey, let's go find some seats!"

The two of them entered the gym and walked into the main room for battles.

It looked quite similar to the race track room, except instead of a race track, there was a battlefield in the center, outlined by strange circuits.

As Hue and Aura sat down in some seats in the large gym room, Hue decided that the longer he waited to ask, the more he would regret it.

He gave a sigh, prayed to Arceus for assistance, and turned to face Aura.

"Aura...I'm getting a vibe that you don't want to go to Saffron City." He said.

Aura bit her nail and looked away.

"I don't have any problem with going to Saffron City." She quite clearly lied.

"Aura, this is important!" Hue said. "You're acting really weird about going to Saffron City, and I want to know what it is about Saffron that makes you so uncomfortable!"

"I...I'm sorry." Aura said, looking away. "But I can't tell you that."

"You can't?" Hue asked, confused.

"Well, I _could_." Aura admitted. "But I won't. Because it would bring up some memories that I haven't quite gotten over yet, and I don't want you to-."

Aura instantly went red and stopped her sentence.

"You don't want me to what?" Hue asked, hoping that she would answer so he could avoid doing whatever it was that she didn't want him to do.

"Nothing…" Aura said glumly.

She hung her head down. "You'll find out when we get there anyway."

She looked so sad.

Hue hated it when Aura looked sad.

Here was a girl who, for the most part, just exuded confidence.

To see her this down in the dumps and fearful, trying her best to run away from a problem that she would probably urge Hue into facing head on should their positions be flipped…

It was nearly heartbreaking.

"Hey." Hue put his hand on Aura's hand and began to pet it, prompting her to look up, albeit embarrassed, into his eyes.

Hue recognized the emotion she was giving off. It looked similar to the way he felt after his loss to Davon in Pewter City.

Now it was _his_ turn to lift _her_ up.

"I may not know what it is about Saffron that's causing you so much trouble, but I can promise you that if we face whatever problem it is, we're facing it together, and then we'll nip that problem in the ass and continue on our journey together. Alright?"

"We _are_ partners…" Aura gave a weak smile.

"That's not why." Hue said.

Aura was taken by surprise.

Hue, upon realizing that he might have put certain ideas in Aura's head, felt his face go red as he turned and nervously faced the battlefield that Surge and Freddie would be using shortly.

"It's because your my g-"

It was almost as though all the legendary pokemon and other deities got together and said. "Hey, you know what'd piss Hue off?" Because at that exact moment, not only did a terrifying and dazzling glimmer appear in Aura's eyes, but Freddie appeared in the gym, noticing Hue's hand on the top of Aura's head.

"I _knew_ it!" Freddie said as he walked into the gym, pointing at Hue and Aura.

"-ood friend…" Hue sighed.

Why must this always happen?

"I didn't know you cared about your good friends so much." Freddie said.

"You never volunteered to help me whenever I got nervous…"

"I _cleared you of a murder charge_!" Hue felt the need to bring up.

"Well yeah, but you were only doing your job." Freddie brought up an interesting point.

"Sorry Freddie." Aura called back, happy enough to know that Hue was travelling with her out of his own desire and not a sense of obligation or anything like that. "It looks like I'm Huey's favorite!"

"Where does good friend translate into favorite?" Hue asked.

"Well-" Aura seemed ready to actually explain how she came to that conclusion.

"Are y'all done in the peanut gallery?" Surge asked, interrupting Aura as he finally entered the room.

"Because you might want to get all your words out now so you'll already be speechless when I mop the floor with your friend here."

"The battle between the gym leader, Colonel Surge, and the challenger, Freddie Franks, will now begin!" The ref announced.

"This match will be a standard 3 on 3 pokemon battle. The match will be over when all of one side's pokemon are unable to continue. In addition, only the challenger is allowed to make substitutions!"

"Go Freddie!" Aura cheered.

"You got this, Freddie!" Hue called.

"Hmph." Surge grinned. "I didn't expect Subject 4 to be rooting for you like that…" He smirked. "You've got some tricks up your sleeve kid."

Freddie stared and blinked.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He said.

Surge grunted as if to say 'nevermind'.

"Ready to battle?" Surge asked as he held up a pokeball.

"Born ready." Freddie answered with his impish grin.

"Trainers, send out your pokemon!" The ref called.

"Go, Pikachu!" Surge yelled as he sent out his Pikachu.

"Go, Magikarp!" Freddie called, sending out Magikarp.

"Karp!" Magikarp began to flop on the floor.

Hue and Aura looked at each other.

Neither one seemed to know what Freddie was thinking.

"Battle...Start!" The ref called out.

"Pikachu!" Surge yelled. "Start things off with a Quick Attack!"

"Chu!" His Pikachu ran towards Magikarp.

"Magikarp, counter with Flail!" Freddie retaliated.

Hue and Aura watched in amazement as the two pokemon rammed into each other with equal amounts of power.

"How?" Surge wondered aloud. "How is you Magikarp not losing its balance from that attack? It's already flopping all over the place!"

"That's where your wrong." Freddie explained.

"Magikarp isn't flopping all over the place...she's bouncing."

"You mean?-" Hue began to ask, incredibly impressed with Freddie's little routine.

"That's right…" Freddie nodded. "This is nothing more than an act of acrobatics."

"Pikachu!" Surge called. "We don't need to take shit from this pokemon, use Double Team!"

Pikachu began multiplying itself, surrounding Magikarp.

"Karp, karp." Magikarp gasped.

"It'll be fine, Magikarp." Freddie assured his pokemon. "Use Flail once more!"

Magikarp began to flail around again, hitting a few Pikachu clones, but not hitting the real one.

It was at that point that Hue noticed it…

cracks forming on the battlefield where Freddie's Magikarp was flailing around.

Was he trying to break the floor and access those circuits?

Hue decided not to mention any of this to Aura, in order to help Freddie maintain secrecy should that be the case.

"Pikachu, let it rip with a Shock Wave!" Surge yelled.

"Magikarp, now's your only chance!" Freddie called. "Flail once more!"

"Karp!" Magikarp managed to just barely break through the floor.

"Chuuuu!" The Pikachu sent an unavoidable jolt of electricity Magikarp's way.

"Kaaaaaarp!" Magikarp wailed in pain as the whole room lit up much brighter than it was before.

"Magikarp is unable to battle!" The ref called as he raised a flag.

"The winner is Pikachu."

"Good job girl." Freddie said as he returned Magikarp. "You did more than you needed to do."

Freddie sighed.

"Go, Haunter!" He yelled as he sent out his Haunter.

"Haunter!" Haunter hissed with glee.

"Haunt! Haunt!" She waved at Hue and Aura.

"Hi Haunter!" Aura waved back, cheerfully.

Hue was glad to see her feeling better, or at least joyfully distracted.

"Haunter!" Freddie called. "Let's start things off with a Shadow Punch!"

"Haunter!" Haunter grinned as she shot her ghostly fist straight into the correct Pikachu, this making all the other clones disappear.

"How did she-?" Surge began.

"[Shadow Punch]." Dean informed Hue. "A [Ghost] Type Move. The user throws a punch from the shadows. This attack never misses."

"Well, that's one way around Double Team…" Hue said with a smile. If it was him down there, he'd have Gumshoe use Odor Sleuth, but...that was just his preference.

"Chuuu!" Pikachu wailed in pain.

"Can you get up Pikachu?" Surge asked.

"Chu!" Pikachu nodded as it stood up.

"In that case, why don't we give Haunter a Shock Wave?"

"Haunter! Shadow Sneak!" Freddie called out.

"Haunter!" Haunter appeared from Pikachu's shadow as she tapped it's shoulder.

"Chuu?" Pikachu turned in a frightened manner to face Haunter, who instantly punched Pikachu to the floor, further breaking the plating over the circuits.

Hue was now fifty percent sure that Freddie was planning something with the circuits on the floor.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu called as it sent out the Shock Wave.

"Into the floor, Haunter!" Freddie called.

Haunter grinned as she disappeared into the floor just in time to avoid the Shock Wave, which instead hit broke more of the glass plating.

Aura pointed at the play that Freddie just made. "That looks like something you'd do, Huey. Using a pokemon's natural abilities to win isn't a common practice. Didn't your pokedex say that Haunter could pass through walls?"

"It did." Hue confirmed. "Freddie probably remembered that when he sent Haunter out."

"Alright Haunter!" Freddie called. "Finish it off with a Night Shade!"

"Haunter!" Haunter hissed as she created a strange darkness around Pikachu.

"Chuuu!" Pikachu gasped before dropping to the floor after being released from the otherworldly attack.

"Pikachu is unable to battle!" The ref called. "The winner is Haunter."

"Hmph." Surge humphed. "Go, Raichu!"

"Rai Rai!" Raichu cheered itself on as it took to the field.

Hue took Dean out and pointed it at Raichu. He was curious to see what Dean had to say.

"[Raichu]." Dean informed him. "The [Mouse] Pokemon. The evolved form of Pikachu. It can shock with more than 100,000 volts, enough to render a Dragonite unconscious. Raichu's tail functions as a ground and releases electricity into the surface, which keeps it from shocking itself."

"Let's start with a Shadow Sneak!" Freddie called

"Haunter!" Haunter appeared from Raichu's shadow.

"Raichu, Thunderbolt!" Surge yelled.

"Rai...chuuuuu!" Raichu let loose a powerful blast of electricity.

"Haunthaunthaunthaunt!" Haunter stuttered as she took the attack head on.

"Haunter!" Freddie called, "are you okay?"

"Haunter…" Haunter nodded as she floated back up in the air.

"Urgh.." Freddie said to himself. "I can't afford for Haunter to be hit like that again."

"Haunter…Return!" Freddie called Haunter back into her pokeball.

"Smart move kid." Surge grunted. "I'm impressed you knew when to flee."

"I'm not fleeing." Freddie stated. "I'm merely changing my recipe a bit."

He took a deep breath, and sent out his third pokemon.

"Go!" He yelled.

"Charmeleon!" Charmeleon yelled as it drummed its chest.

"Charmeleon!" Freddie yelled. "Flame Burst!"

"Meleon!" Charmeleon roared as it shot a large ball of fire at Raichu, who couldn't dodge without moving its tail and shocking itself.

"Raiii…" Raichu took the frontal assault of Charmeleon's Flame Burst.

"You goo Raichu?" Surge asked.

"Raichu!" Raichu nodded.

Hue smirked.

The purpose of that Flame Burst wasn't to damage Raichu...It was to use to excess flames to do away with the rest of the glass plating over the circuits.

"Chameleon, return!" Freddie called right away.

Hue was now one hundred percent certain that Freddie was planning to utilize his surroundings.

So this was the kind of trainer he was…

Keeping the opponent occupied with a tough battle, while working on his true strategy making use of his surroundings.

It was a lot like, to make an apt analogy, he was a traveling chef, making use of the different tools in each kitchen.

"Haunter!" He called as he sent Haunter back out.

"Alright Raichu!" Surge yelled. "Hit it with a Thunderbolt!"

"Haunter!" Freddie retaliated. "Floor, now!"

"Haunter!" Haunter hid in the floor right before Raichu attacked with it's large Thunderbolt hitting the circuits in the floor with way too much electricity for them to handle.

The entire gym went completely dark, into a blackout.

"Alright Haunter!" Freddie yelled. "Time to use Psychic!"

"Haunter!" Haunter laughed as she used her psychic abilities and raised up Raichu, into the air.

"Rai! Raichu! Raichu!" Raichu yelled frantically before it began to glow a brilliant yellow, its excess electricity shocking itself as it had nowhere left to go.

"Raichuuuuu!" Raichu wailed in pain, being hit by both Psychic, and its own electricity at the same time.

"Chuuu…" It fell to the floor

"Raichu is unable to battle!" The ref announced. "The winner is Haunter!"

"Yeah!" Both Hue and Aura cheered as they realized that Freddie had pulled into the lead with that move.

"Go!" Surge yelled. "Electrode!"

"Electrode…" Hue muttered.

"Eerie Impulse!" Surge yelled.

Instantly the Electrode glew in an eerie yellow light, part of it trailed directly to the position of Freddie's Haunter.

This was the first time Hue had ever seen a ghost get scared.

Hue rose his pokedex up to the Electrode.

"[Electrode]" Dean stated. "The [Ball] Pokemon. The evolved form of Voltorb. Highly concentrated electric energy causes this pokemon to explode unpredictably. Also known as the Bomb-ball."

"He's got a grenade!" Aura shouted.  
"I'm not worried about that!" Freddie snickered.

"Are you, Haunter?"

"Haunt...Haunt...Haunt…" Haunter was cockily shaking her head, but the way she was panting was letting Hue know that she was really fighting at her limit right now.

Hopefully Freddie realized that.

"Electrode!" Surge called. "Use Charge Beam!"

"Trode!" The large ball of a pokemon said in a mechanical voice as it shot a yellow beam at Haunter.

"Haunt!" Haunter took the beam and fell to the floor.

"Haunter?" Freddie asked. "You're good to go right?"

"H...Haunt!" Haunter smirked as she dropped a band of sorts on the ground.

"What is that?" Aura asked. "I can't s-"

"A Focus Band!" Hue managed to see it perfectly well. "Haunter's literally one hit away from KO right now…" He informed Aura.

"Alright Haunter!" Freddie yelled. "Return!"

He called his Haunter back.

"Charmeleon, I choose you!"

"Meleon!" Charmeleon's flame on the tip of its tail was the sole source of light for the gym right now.

"Chameleon!" Feddie called. "Let's speed up its explosion with a Flame Burst!"

"Meleon!" Charmeleon hissed as it shot out a large fireball straight at the Electrode.

"Charge Beam, Electrode!" Surge called in retaliation.

The two attacks collided in midair, and began to fight with each other for supremacy.

Charge Beam was strong, but Flame Burst managed to envelop the beam and continue on their way to Electrode.

"Trode!" It angrily beeped as it was rolled back by the attack.

"Electrode, use Sonic Boom!" Surge yelled.

"Electrode!" Electrode screeched as it shot a wave of sonic blasts towards Charmeleon.

"Charmeleon!" Freddie called. "Take the hit and counter with Dragon Rage!"

"Meleon…." Charmeleon grunted as it took the Sonic Boom

"Char!" It shouted as it let loose with its Dragon Rage attack, severely damaging Electrode.

"Trode…" Electrode rolled back even further.

"Rollout, Electrode!" Surge yelled.

"Electrode!" The Electrode beeped as it began to roll towards Charmeleon at a high speed.

Hue gulped. A rock type attack would do good damage against Charmeleon.

"Charmeleon!" Freddie called. "Counter it with Slash!"

"What?" Hue couldn't stop himself from standing up.

"Sit back down Huey." Aura smiled as she grabbed his arm and pulled him back into his seat.

"Let's just enjoy the show."

The show?

As the two pokemon collided, Hue instantly understood what Aura meant.

"Elec-..." Electrode began to vibrate.

"Oh...damn it…" Surge said as he realized.

"Troooode!" Electrode exploded, sending Charmeleon flying, while simultaneously ridding itself of all its remaining energy.

"Both pokemon are unable to battle." The ref announced. "Which means victory goes to Freddie Franks, the challenger!"

"Damn, kid." Surge said as he handed Freddie a Lightning Badge. "Sure didn't think you had it in you."

"I get that a lot." Freddie smirked. "I think it's because I'm short."

"Well, _I_ would say that you did an excellent job in putting on a good performance in battle." Aura said. "So, good job."

"You...have become a lot friendlier with me than when we first met." Freddie observed.

"Not really…" Aura shrugged. "I'm just trying to stock up on good karma."

"For what?" Freddie laughed.

"You afraid we'll run into trouble in Saffron or something?"

"I _know_ we'll run into trouble in Saffron." Aura said as she bit her nail and, strangely, danced around a bit in her hakama, almost as if she really had to go to the bathroom.  
"Do you need to go to the bathroom?" Hue asked, innocently enough.

Aura shook her head.

"I just...I'd like to spend one last night here before we head north. I promise it will be the last one."

"That's fine." Hue said. "But I don't want you running away like you did back on Route 3 when you heard about NTR at Mt. Moon."

"I won't." Aura said as she held up a pinky.

"Pinky swear."

Hue did the same.

"Pinky swear."

As Hue emerged from the bathroom of the suite of the pokemon center that the three of them had decided to bunk in for the night, as usual, the one at the end of the hall, he noticed that Freddie was still awake and grinning wildly.

"What is it?" Hue asked.

Freddie pointed to a sleeping Aura.

She was clutching a plush doll incredibly tightly.

It was the Doublade doll that Hue had bought her for her birthday.

"This is really new." He said. "Your girlfriend's fallen asleep before you have."

"She's not my girlfriend." Hue rolled his eyes.

Freddie rolled his eyes in response.

"Are you absolutely sure?" Freddie grinned as he pointed to Aura again.

"You should think about it."

He turned over in his sheets to go to sleep, but then turned back.

"Because once you decide upon that, I'll know whether I can ask you for advice on something or not."

Hue raised an eyebrow.

"Could it be that the romance hater has a cr-"

"Shush!" Freddie said. He pointed to Aura and continued to talk in a hushed voice.

"If _that_ one found out, she would only make everything worse! She'd try to play cupid or something and that would...well, you can guess how that would end."

Hue _couldn't_ guess how that would end, but he understood Freddie's desire to keep this between the guys.

"Who is it?" He asked.

Freddie gave a quick glance at Aura to make sure she was asleep.

"It isn't her is it?" Hue asked.

As soon as he did, Freddie's impish grin appeared back on his face.

"No, it isn't." He said. "But why were you so against that idea?"

Hue found himself go silent again.

"...Huey…" Aura yawned in her sleep as her clutch on Doublade tightened.

"Shut up." Hue said to Freddie right away as he climbed onto his bunk.

"I didn't say anything." Freddie grinned. "But that's just some food for thought...Huey."

"Please don't call me that again ever." Hue said.

Freddie agreed. "Yeah, it's too...informal for me."

As Hue closed his eyes, he prepared himself for another fever dream.

But this time it was different.

There was no dream of events with the Dragonite girl, and instead, he was already face to face with his identical pokemon-DNA counterpart.

"Hello." Pokemon Hue said.

"Seriously?" Hue wondered aloud. "What are you?"

"I'm...unsure…" His counterpart replied. "I was put into you. I only know your body and mind, and have none of my own. The only one who knows my true species would be the one who put my DNA inside you in the first place."

"The man with icy blue eyes…" Hue could only remember that from his fever dreams. That one adjective wasn't enough to go on though.

"Then...why am I having this dream?" Hue asked.

Counterpart Hue adopted a serious look on his face before answering.

"Because I wanted to formally talk to you, and I want you to bestow upon me a nickname, much like you do for the rest of your pokemon."

"But...you aren't…"

"I am." Counterpart Hue argued. "I am just as much your pokemon as, say, your Wartortle. You've already called upon me multiple times. I would enjoy a name of my own."

"I'll name you Deus Hue, or even just Deus then." Hue said. "It's latin for 'god' or 'deity', and since all the pokemon that are missing from my pokedex are the legendary pokemon _not_ from the Indigo Area, you must be one of them."

"I see.." Deus Hue replied, with a nod. "Deus will suit me fine. Thank you."

"This can't be the only reason you've called me here."

"It isn't." Deus said. "I want to warn you of something. You are being followed."  
"You don't think I know that?" Hue replied, a little annoyed. "Yeah, I'm being followed by that NTR guy that keeps getting away whenever I see him."

"No, Hue." Deus replied, shaking his head. "I do not speak of them. I speak of a separate thing entirely."

Hue raised an eyebrow, and gulped.

Deus looked directly into his eyes. "You are being followed...by your own police force."

Hue woke up in the middle of the night.

The bathroom light was on.

He knocked on the door.

"Occupied…" Aura whispered from the other side.

"Sorry…" Hue whispered back. "I thought I left the light on by mistake. I'm glad I knocked before barging in."

"You wouldn't have seen anything of mine if you had, but thank you for being considerate Huey."

"Alright." Hue whispered. "Get some sleep Aura. We do have to leave tomorrow."

As he was about to leave and get back on his bunk, the bathroom door opened and Aura grabbed his wrist.

"Can you…" She seemed incredibly embarrassed to ask whatever it was she was about to ask.

"Could you please...keep me company on my bunk until I fall asleep Huey?" She asked.

Hue could feel his face go red, but he nodded.

"If you don't mind me asking…" Hue said as Aura lay down in her bunk and Hue sat on a chair, holding her hand while she clutched the Doublade doll in the other one, semi-attempting to hide it from view.

"Why were you up this late at night? You normally sleep like a Slakoth."

"I…." Aura looked away and yawned, prompting Hue to yawn himself.

"I had a really bad dream."

Aura looked away, and bit her nail.

"Let's just leave it at that."


	31. Turf War!

Chapter 31:

Turf War!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Bite, Water Pulse

Ace(Pidgeotto): Mud-Slap, Quick Attack, Roost, Twister

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Arthur(Ralts): Confusion, Lucky Chant, Teleport, Disarming Voice

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

Hue woke up still in the chair that he had used to keep Aura company.

He was the last to wake up, and noticed both Freddie and Aura standing in the doorway, all ready to go.

Well...Freddie was ready.

Aura was biting her nail and looking away.

Hue wondered what it could be about Saffron City that had Aura so afraid, but he had more on his mind than just her well-being.

His dream last night had been an odd one.

Was the pokemon inside of him actually trying to communicate?

Under normal circumstances Hue would dismiss it all to some sort of illness and label the event as a word dream and nothing more, but ever since he started his pokemon journey.

Ever since that day when he met Aura in Professor Oaks lab and had a pokedex held up to him, 'normal' was the last thing any of his circumstances had been.

Hue remembered what his alleged pokemon version of himself, which he had taken to calling Deus, had told him.

"You are being followed by your own police force." He said to himself.

"You say something, Huey?" Aura asked, almost startled.

"Just mumbling to myself about nonsense." Hue said.

There was no point in giving Aura anything more to worry about.

Freddie gave Hue a raised eyebrow, as though he had just read Hue's entire thought process.

"You going to get ready, or are you going to keep us waiting here forever?" Freddie asked.

"Yeah yeah, shut up…" Hue mumbled as he stood up.

Dwelling on these problems wasn't going to help speed his journey along anyway.

Route 6 had incredibly sunny weather that week. It was bright, and although the autumn air was crispy, it was still warm enough outside that Aura wasn't constantly complaining about how cold she was.

"It says here…" Freddie said looking in a guide book. "That there's a giant tree in a field up ahead here that bears all different kinds of berries. It's called the All-fruit tree."

"And you want to get some berries for your ingredients is that right?" Aura asked.

"It also says here…" Freddie nodded at Aura and then grinned at Hue. "That lots of grass-type pokemon gather under the tree at this time of year, to harvest the berries."

"I could really use a grass-type." Hue nodded. "But I tend to catch pokemon based on what the pokedex tells me they can do."

"Well Huey…" Aura said, as though she was about to give him some sort of interesting business proposal. " _I_ happen to have a grass-type pokemon that I want to catch."

"But you already have Fushi…" Hue began, but slowly quieted down due to the intense stare that Aura was giving.

"The boy who has two defensive water-type pokemon is not one to talk." She said. "Ahem." She cleared her throat.

"In any case Huey, it's part of our deal as traveling partners that you help me catch the pokemon on my list. Remember?"

"Oh that's right…" Hue remembered. "Alright, what pokemon do you want to catch this time?"

Aura pointed to a small blue pokemon with what looked like weeds on its head waddling along the road.

"I want an Oddish." She said, quite seriously.

Hue raised his pokedex to the Oddish, while rolling his eyes.

This pokemon looked small and weak, and Aura's pokemon would be more than a match for this thing. He didn't quite understand why _he_ needed to do all this.

"[Oddish]." Dean stated. "The [Weed] Pokemon. This pokemon is typically found roaming the forest, scattering pollen as it walks around."

"Oddish….Oddish….Oddish…" The Oddish kept walking.

"What's it doing so far away from a forest?" Hue wondered.

"It's probably heading towards the All-fruit tree." Freddie hypothesised.

"Aura, i'd just use Koko and be done with it here…" Hue recommended. "If the only this thing does is walk around and scatter pollen then a Beedrill is bound to be effective against-"

Out of freaking nowhere a long vine smacked the Oddish backwards.

"Bellllsprout!" A Bellsprout appeared from the tall grass, apparently very angry at the Oddish.

"Now what?" Hue wondered aloud as he held up his pokedex to the Bellsprout.

"[Bellsprout]." Dean said. "The [Flower] Pokemon. A carnivorous pokemon that traps and eats bugs it uses its root feet to soak up needed moisture."

"Still think I should send out my _bug_ Huey?" Aura asked, sarcastically.

"Well, not _now_." Hue said, rolling his eyes.

"Hey guys, before you start your little meeting about what to do…" Freddie began. "You might want to see this."

He pointed to a large grassy area up ahead.

"What is it?" Aura asked. "It looks like a grassy plateau, nothing abnormal about that…"

Hue's eyes widened.

"Aura...that isn't a grassy plateau...That's a giant herd of-"

"Oddish Odd Oddish Oddish Odd Oddish Odd Oddish Oddish Odd!"

"That's way too many Oddish for any pokemon to handle by themselves!" Freddie said.

"Why are they all so pissed?" Hue asked.

"Look, in the back of the herd!" Aura pointed.

A large pokemon with a huge flower on its head stood over the Oddish.

"Plume…." The Vileplume said in a deep voice.

"[Vileplume]." Dean informed everyone. "The [Flower] Pokemon. Using the largest flower petals in the world, it spreads large clouds of pollen that cause allergic reactions."

"Plume!" The Vileplume let out a large cloud of purple-ish powder.

It was heading right towards everyone.

"Get down!" Hue yelled as he tackled Aura and Freddie to the ground at the same type.

He turned to Aura.

"Aura, you okay?"

"I'm fine." Aura said. "What is that move?"

"Poisonpowder." Hue replied.

"Not to be the bearer of more bad news, guys…" Freddie said, as he pointed in the opposite direction.

"But there's another problem."

Dare he turn to look?

Against his better judgement, Hue turned to see what Freddie was talking about, and there, rushing at the army of Oddish led by a pissed of Vileplume, was an equally large army of Bellsprout, led by a large pitcher-plant like pokemon.

"[Victreebel]." Dean informed Hue. "The [Flycatcher] Pokemon. Said to live in huge colonies deep in jungles, although no one has ever returned from there."

"Why are plants so dangerous?" Freddie questioned as Hue pulled Freddie and Aura into a safe area in a small trench.

"We're witnessing some sort of turf war." Hue said.

Aura began to giggle.

"What is it?" Hue asked.

Aura pointed at Hue. " _Turf_ war? Because you know...they're plants?"

"Hue, this isn't the Thyme for plant puns." Freddie said with a wicked grin on his face.

Hue remained silent.

His questionable choice in friends had brought this upon himself.

"They're probably fighting over the All-fruit tree." Aura said. "If it really does produce all those berries, then now is about the last time of the year to harvest them before the tree goes dormant for the winter."

"Yeah." Hue agreed. "And it looks like they'll be fighting each other for a while."

"Oddish." An Oddish nodded as it hid next to Aura, scaring the crap out of everyone.

"Oddish?" It tilted its head.

"I think this Oddish wants to avoid the fight…" Hue observed.

Aura's eyes flickered in the shade of the trench.

"I know how to catch an Oddish." She said with a sly and confident grin.

She turned abruptly to the hiding Oddish.

"Do you want to be safe from the fighting?" She asked in a sweet voice.

The Oddish nodded.

"Oddish…"

"Then get in the ball…" Aura held out her pokeball. "You'll be safe from the fighting and won't have to fight again ever."

"It won't?" Hue asked in disbelief.

"I want to use it in contests…" Aura said. "So maybe a contest battle, but that would be it."

She turned back to the Oddish.

"So, whatya say?"

"Oddish…" The Oddish seemed hesitant.

"Bellsprout?" A Bellsprout looked down the trench.

"Oddish!" The Oddish quickly retreated inside Aura's pokeball.

Wiggle.

Wiggle.  
Wiggle. Click.

"You have got to be kidding me." Hue rolled his eyes.

"What? Isn't this a little similar to how you caught Cooper?"  
"No!" Hue said. "It's not at all similar to that! I didn't trick Cooper into a pokeball! I had an actual conversation with him and he decided to join me!"

"Bellsprout!" The Bellsprout seemed pissed.

"Bellsprout!" It called out.

"Victreebel…" The Victreebel looked over the trench at Hue, Aura, and Freddie.

"Belllll...Bel!" The Victreebel shot out a strange goop that the three of them just barely managed to avoid.

"I think the worst part about this event is that on the grand scale of things, it's safe compared to what you guys get me involved in…" Freddie complained as he cowered.

"What kind of move was that?"  
"[Spit-Up]." Dean answered for him "A [Normal] type attack. Releases stockpiled power (the more the better)."

"That's the first time I've seen a pokedex entry use parentheses." Hue observed Dean's description.

He turned to the Victreebel. "I want this pokemon."

"Are you _insane_?" Freddie asked. "It's attacking us!"

"And we'll be much safer when it's inside a pokeball." Hue reasoned. "Besides, there wasn't much by way of information when I listened to its pokedex entry. I want to know more about Victreebel."

"You do it Huey." Aura gave Hue a big thumbs up. "Wanna use one of mine for help?"

"Thanks for the offer." Hue smiled. "But I can catch it on my own, I think."

He stood up and faced the Victreebel.

"Victreebel!" He yelled. "I'm Hue Swanson. A pokemon trainer."

He pointed at the Victreebel.

"I want to battle you and catch you!"

"Victreeee?" The Victreebel asked, almost offended.

"Hue a pokemon like that probably doesn't want to be caught…" Freddie said.

"Well, that's too bad for it." Hue grinned as he threw a pokeball out.

"Go, Cooper!"

"Cloyster!" Cooper hissed as he was sent out.

"Sprout!" A Bellsprout went to attack Cooper.

"Victreebel." Victreebel stopped the Bellsprout in its tracks.

"Victreebel." Victreebel then stepped out of the way, and a Weepinbell appeared in front of Cooper.

"Weepinbell." It said, squinting its eyes.

"[Weepinbell]" Dean stated. "The [Flycatcher] Pokemon. Weepinbell looks like a plant and covers opponents in a poisonous powder in order to catch them."

"Victreebel…" The Victreebel said.

"Weeeeeep!" The Weepinbell shot a large Poison Powder attack at Cooper.

"Cooper, Withdraw!" Hue called quickly.

As he called out the order, the Victreebel and the Bellsprout army began to fight the Oddish army led by the Vileplume again, all the while moving away from Hue, Aura, Freddie, and Hue's battle with the remaining Weepinbell.

"Weepinbell?" The pokemon looked for its allies but couldn't find any.

"What a mean-spirited pokemon…" Aura said in reference to the Victreebel. "It left behind one of its own just to avoid a battle with a trainer?"

"Ster?" Cooper looked out of his shell.

Hue shook himself back into focus.

He was partaking in a pokemon battle right now after all.

"Cooper, let's give it a Spike Cannon!"

"Cloy...ster! Ster! Ster! Ster!" Cooper shot four large spikes at the Weepinbell, which took them all head on.

"Weepinbell…" The Weepinbell said, panting as it faced Cooper with determination in its eyes.

"No wonder that Victreebel chose to leave this Weepinbell behind." Freddie said. "This pokemon doesn't run from anything."

"Weepin-bell!" The Weepinbell called out as it shot a blob of purple goop straight at Cooper, who was also a pokemon that was prone to facing attacks head on rather than dodging.

That move…

"[Acid]." Dean stated. "A [Poison] type attack. The opposing pokemon are attacked with a spray of harsh acid. This may also lower their special defense."

"Withdraw, Cooper!" Hue called out.

As long as Cooper withdrew into his shell whenever Weepinbell attacked, Hue could win. Acid wasn't enough to break through a shell that could withstand explosions, was it?

"Cloyster!" Cooper called out in pain.

"Dammit." Hue said.

Enough playing around.

"Cooper, let's end this quickly with an Icicle Crash!"

"Cloyster!" Cooper nodded from his shell.

"Cloyster!" He shouted as he shot a large barrage of icicles at the Weepinbell.

"Weeeeep!" The Weepinbell seemed to snap as it hurled itself straight into the Icicle Crash attack.

"It's using Slam to counter the Icicles!" Aura said with her eyes widened.

Hue shook his head.

There was no way that the Weepinbell would…

"Bell!" Weepinbell fell to the ground.

"Yeah, that's what I thought would happen." Hue sighed.

"This Weepinbell doesn't treat type match-ups like they exist."

Hue held up his pokeball.

"I want it even more now!"

He threw the pokeball at the incapacitated Weepinbell.

Wiggle, Wiggle,

"Bell!" The Weepinbell busted out of the pokeball.

"Weepinbell!" It shouted.

"You lost, get over it." Hue said. "I'll make you stronger, don't worry! You'll have a chance to rematch Cooper again if you come with me as well."

"Belll…" The Weepinbell seemed to be thinking its options over.

Hue sighed and put his hands in his pockets…

and felt something that gave him an idea.

He took out the Leaf Stone he had won for winning the Rock Tunnel Race.

"If you come with me…" He said. "I can let you evolve. You'll be stronger and have access to new techniques."

"Belll…." The Weepinbell seemed to really be having difficulty deciding this.

"Victreee!" The Victreebel from earlier and its Bellsprout army began running away from the Vileplume and the Oddish army.

"Or…" Hue said. "You could go back to taking orders from that guy."

"Weepinbell." The Weepinbell sighed as it tapped the button of the pokeball and let itself back in.

Wiggle.

Wiggle.

Wiggle. Click.

"Huey!" Aura ran up to Hue, took his hands and began to jump around.

"We did Huey! Full parties! Full parties!"

"So...does this mean we're done catching pokemon?" Hue asked.

"Not by a long shot." Aura shook her head. "You still have terrible type coverage on your team, and I still have like, at _least_ five more pokemon I want to catch. You want more pokemon than just those six too, don't you?"

"Yeah…" Hue agreed with a smile. "I guess I do."

"So...what's her name?" Aura asked Hue as she pointed to the Weepinbell that Hue was carrying in his arms as the three of them entered the megalopolis that was Saffron City. Aura probably didn't care about Hue's choice of name for the Weepinbell, but he could understand her desire for some sort of distraction.

"Oh no…" Hue said. "It's a...her?"

Aura's piercing eyes somehow became even more piercing.

"What did you name her, Huey?"

"Venus." Hue grinned a goofy grin. "Don't worry Aura, I made sure to check before naming."

"Weepinbell!" Venus sort of whined as she reached for the Leaf Stone that Hue was keeping just out of her reach.

"Hang on with that." Hue told her. "You'll evolve when I think you're ready. Don't worry, this stone isn't going anywhere."

Hue pointed to the Oddish that Aura was carrying.

"What about him? He got a name?"

"Of course _she_ has a name." Aura said.

Dammit, why? Why was his guess always the wrong one?

"Her name is Nazono."

Hue and Freddie stared blankly.

"Short for Nazonokuza?" Aura said, as though Hue and Freddie should understand.

"It means 'enigmatic grass'?"

Just two blank stares were all Aura was receiving.

"You two are just-"

"Hopeless." A strange gruff voice stated from behind the three of them. "This search is hopeless Detective. Even if she _is_ back, there's no way I'll find her in this big of a city, even with her get-up."

Aura froze up.

"Freddie.." Hue whispered. "You should go secure our room at the Pokemon Center."  
Freddie nodded and went ahead.

"Aura…" Hue put a hand on her shoulder.

Aura quickly put a finger to her mouth, about to shush Hue when the same gruff voice repeated what Hue had said.

"Aura?" the gruff voice asked.

Footsteps began to walk in Hue's and Aura's direction.

Aura quickly returned her pokemon, and Hue took her lead and did the same.

"Aura!" The gruff voice seemed to recognize Aura and the footsteps grew louder.

Hue and Aura turned around to see a very large man, also dressed in a hakama, with a sash tied around his forehead and a black belt tied around his waist.

Accompanying him was Carmen Yiddle.

"Hello Hue." She said. "Sorry about following you like this, but I received an interesting call not long after the survivors of the SS Anne incident were documented and released to the press. I personally don't care, or really want to, but I'm going to have to insist that you hand Aura over to this man."

"That's right." The man said as he grabbed Aura's wrist forcefully and pulled her towards him.

"Ow!" Aura said. "Koichi, you're twisting my wrist!"

"That's _Mr._ Koichi to you, young lady. And keep talking like that then your wrist will be the _least_ of your worries."

"Wait wait wait!" Hue grabbed Aura's free hand as he looked at Carmen, at the man, and at Aura.

"Carmen what's going on?"

"Would you like to tell him, little lady?" Carmen asked. "You should introduce him after all."

"Mr. Koichi" Aura sighed as a tear fell down her cheek. "This is Hue, he's been taking care of me all this time while on his pokemon journey."

She hung her head in shame and looked at Hue with pleading eyes, as though she was about to be taken to place worse than Hue could possibly imagine.

"Huey...this is Mr. Koichi."

She looked down again, probably to mask how heavily she was starting to cry.

"He's the owner of the Saffron City Fighting Dojo…"

Aura took a huge breath, and said in a very soft and resentful voice.

"And also my Foster Father."


	32. Absence of Aura

Chapter 32:

Absence of Aura

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Bite, Water Pulse

Ace(Pidgeotto): Mud-Slap, Quick Attack, Roost, Twister

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Arthur(Ralts): Confusion, Lucky Chant, Teleport, Disarming Voice

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

Venus(Weepinbell): Poison Powder, Acid, Slam, Razor Leaf

The Fighting Dojo had a very traditional layout to it, with the main room consisting of no furniture save for a few scrolls with quotes about discipline and how to always uphold an honorable code of conduct.

There was also a single vase of flowers at the back of the main room, sitting on an out of place desk.

Hue knew beforehand that this was a Fighting Dojo, but for some reason, he still hadn't expected everyone there to be dressed in hakamas.

At least it explained why Aura wore one all the time though. They were probably the only clothes she could run away with.

He couldn't hear or see Aura at the moment.

She was in another room, talking to Carmen about something.

While the main room might have been full of Koichi's students, or perhaps even blood relatives, Hue felt like he and Koichi were the only two people there.

"Hue…" Koichi broke the silence.

Hue remained silent and looked the man in the eyes.

He hadn't seen much of Koichi to give an accurate opinion, but he didn't like what he had seen so far.

This man had hurt Aura's wrist without mercy, and had threatened further violence.

As far as Hue was concerned, Koichi was not Foster Father material.

"Am I to understand that you have been looking after Aura since she ran away?"

"With all due respect sir…" Hue replied. "We've been looking after each other."

"Have you now?" Koichi's eyes squinted,

"I assume you know the reason Aura ran away from here then?"

Hue shook his head.

Aura hadn't told him anything about this. She had even made an intense effort to avoid Saffron City for as long as possible.

Could it have been because she didn't want Hue to know her reason for running away?

"Aura, as I'm sure you know by now, has a very... _strong_ will. She's been hardened emotionally since her guardian brother's untimely death, and all she ever talked about while here at the dojo was training so she could track down her brother's murderer. She isn't a girl who's capable of caring for other people. She's only using you as an excuse to further her own agenda. Its this type of behavior that hasn't gotten her adopted yet. She needs to stay here in the dojo where responsible people can keep an eye on her so she doesn't do something like this again."

No..

That wasn't true…

This man didn't know Aura like Hue did.

"wrong…" Hue muttered, as he thought about all the times Aura held her Cubone close to her like a doll.

About the time she cried upon seeing what she believed to be her brother's ghost.

About when she saved Hue from drowning even though she really hated the cold water and there were other people who could do the deed.

About the way she snuggled up to the Doublade doll that Hue had bought for her when she slept.

"Excuse me?" Koichi asked, irritated.

"I said you're wrong!" Hue raised his voice.

He thought about the time they accidentally went on a date to Cerulean Cape and saw Suicune, and how happy Aura was when he finally decided to play along with her bluffs during their Double Gym battle.

About the time he was feeling down after his loss in Pewter and Aura dropped out of the tournament to cheer him up.

"I said you're wrong, Koichi!" Hue yelled again.

All the students at the dojo turned and looked at the fourteen year old boy bundled up in a blue jacket standing up to a towering black belt.

"Aura's not the type of person to do that!" He exclaimed. "She's a really sweet and kind girl who has a better sense of right and wrong than anyone in this room! I have never _once_ been let down by her! It's my personal belief, as a member of the Kanto Police, that Aura is perfectly fit to be on a pokemon journey as a trainer, and that, if anything, you aren't fit to be a Foster Parent!"

"You arrogant little-!" Koichi stepped forward, booming in a menacing voice.

"You dare attempt to belittle me in my own home? I'll have a talk with your superior as soon as she's done conducting her investigation, and be sure to remove your arrogant self from your job as a patrolman."

" _Detective_ actually." Hue clarified.

He didn't know if what he was going to say next would have any effect on Koichi, but in his angry attempts to prove that this person wasn't fit to be Aura's Foster Father, he said it anyway.

"I'm referred to by some people as Subject 4."

An eerie silence rushed over the dojo.

"So…" Koichi said with a bit of a laugh.

"You're real and still alive after all…" He said ominously. "But none of that matters. I'm still taking Aura back. She cannot continue to gain momentum. If it causes you a loss of concentration, all the better."

 _Hue.._ Deus's voice raised in his head, making it hurt like hell. _Find your superior, and tell her about Koichi's reaction. It's abnormal. I don't trust it._

Hue held the part of the back of his head where it hurt and began to run into the side room where Carmen had taken Aura.

Koichi's students jumped in front of the door to stop him.

Hue suddenly felt the most intense headache he had ever had in his life, and his legs began to take longer and faster strides.

He could barely keep his eyes focused on the door he was heading towards.

He zoomed passed Koichi's students and ran into the other room.

"What the-?" One of the students asked in shock.

"How the heck did he manage to go that fast?" Another asked.

Koichi made a clicking sound.

"Well... _That's_ something I didn't expect from him this early on."

"Aura, Carmen!" Hue yelled as he ran into the room where Carmen had taken Aura for questioning.

He arrived just in time to see Carmen about to leave through the window. Aura was nowhere to be seen.

"Carmen!" Hue yelled. "Koichi's got ties to-"

"Hue, I'm sure whatever you have to say is important, but right now, I need to find your friend before she leaves the city!" Carmen said, worried.

She talked into her pokedex.

"Cut off all gates out of the city until further notice." She said. "..I don't care if they have to stay shut for _two_ weeks, close all the gates! That's an order!"

"Where's Aura?" Hue asked.

"She's fine-" Carmen began.

"What did you say to her that made her run away? Why are you even here?"

"Hue…" Carmen said, still from the windowsill. "Calm down. We'll find her."

She pointed outside.

"Pidgeot!" A Pidgeot cooed as it flew around the city.

"I have my Pidgeot looking for her from the sky." Carmen said.

"What were you talking to her about?" Hue shouted again.

"I was talking to her about her brother's murder!" Carmen shouted back. "Don't you also think its fishy for a member of NTR to kill one of their own scientific experiments?"

 _That is suspicious._ Deus's voice echoed in Hue's throbbing head, only really adding to his overall frustration at everyone.

"Koichi's with NTR." Hue said solemnly. "He knew that I was 'Subject 4'."

Carmen tipped her large red hat downwards.

"Of course he is…" She said, almost as if she wasn't surprised.

"Why is it that none of my assignments ever go correctly?" She asked no one in particular.

"Move." Hue said as he pulled Carmen onto the floor and prepared to climb out the window himself.

"What do you think you're doing?" She asked. "We need you here to talk with Koichi!"

"An NTR Member?" Hue yelled. "No way!"

"You have no proof of that!" Carmen yelled back. "Where are you even going?"

"I'm going to find her." Hue said.

"I'm going to find her." he repeated.

"Hue…" Carmen said. "I want to help you...but if you leave...you'll be violating my direct order to remain here with Koichi, and you'll have to hand over your Growlithe's pokeball."

 _Koichi is part of NTR Hue…_ Deus's voice rang aloud in his head.

"You don't think I know that?" Hue told Deus while clutching his temples.

"Excuse me?" Carmen asked.

"Detective Yiddle…" Hue sighed. "If I can deal with Koichi and make sure that he won't force Aura to return to the dojo, or if I can expose him in any way, will you grant me permission to search for Aura?"

"If it turns out that Koichi is unfit to be Aura's Foster Father, then I suppose I'd be too busy interrogating him to notice if my subordinate breaks a few rules or not." She gave a devious smile.

Was this the first time that Hue had ever seen Carmen smile?

Well, at the very least, he now knew that she wasn't _completely_ impossible to work with.

Hue walked back into the main room of the Fighting Dojo, without a single ounce of humor in his eyes.

"Koichi…" Hue said, pointing at the owner of the Fighting Dojo.

"I challenge you, as a trainer, to a pokemon battle."

"You have nothing I want to bet on, boy." Koichi squinted his eyes. "I'll go tell your superior that-"

"Hue has my special permission to act in this manner for now." Carmen said as she entered the building. "I'll even be willing to ref the battle if that's okay with you. Not that I'm one to partake in such on a regular basis…"

"Well-" Koichi tried to get a grip. "I-It doesn't change the fact that by way of betting, this boy has nothing on him that I want."

"It's neither of us that currently has what I want, Koichi." Hue said.

"Interesting." Koichi smirked. "Name it."

"Aura Jones!" Hue shouted.

"If I win, you have to let her keep travelling on her journey!"

"Hmph." Koichi laughed in a gruff voice. "So, if you lose, Aura will be forced to remain here, are you really going to risk so much on this pokemon battle?"

"I'd be willing to risk everything, including my job as a detective, if it meant that Aura would stay safe and happy."

"Interesting…" Koichi said. "Care to make that wager as well? Should you lose this battle, you must resign from the Kanto Police."

Hue gave a menacing snicker.

"Very well, but you should know that I have a pokemon that goes along with the job, and since all bets in a pokemon battle must be equal...I'm going to have to ask that you hand over one of your pokemon to me when you lose."

Koichi's students began laughing.

"Look at this kid!" One said.

"He thinks he's intimidating Koichi? Fat chance!" Another said.

"Hey, I bet the police pokemon is something really weak too!" Yet another joined in.

"Hmph...Very well." Koichi's eyes flickered.

"But be warned little knight. Your shining armor can be easily soiled."

"So that's what's going on? Alright then, I'll head out." Freddie asked as he got off his own pokedex. He stood up from the table in the pokemon center that he was sitting at and began to walk out.

"Nurse Joy.." He said before he left. "If a girl with black hair and a hakama comes running in here, don't let her out, okay?"

Nurse Joy nodded as Freddie left the pokemon center.

As he bolted through Saffron City, making his way towards the Fighting Dojo, he ran into a familiar face.

"Hm?" A head of long red curls turned to face Freddie. "Yo! Freddie Franks, how's it hangin' buddy?" Diane asked cheerfully.

"Hi Diane…" Freddie said, nervously. He blinked for a few seconds.

"Wait a minute, I heard from Hue that you were traveling with-"

"Ethel?" Diane asked. "She's busy participating right now." Diane pointed to the building behind them.

It was a Pokemon Contest Hall.

"I'm honestly surprised." She said. "We both thought that Huey and Aura would be participating in it too. Ethel was really looking forward to it."  
Diane winked at Freddie, making him blush a bit.

"She _really_ wants Hue to see a certain pokemon of hers."

Diane then noticed Freddie's more solemn appearance.

"What is it?" She asked.

"When Ethel is done in there…" Freddie said. "I could really use your help in finding someone."

"You need to find someone?" Diane asked with a grin.

"Then I think I can lead you to a guy who can help you out, so long as you have something with the scent of that person."

Freddie nodded.

"Donnie!" Diane called at Donovan, who was passing by, rather glumly.

"What's wrong Donny?" Diane asked him as she gave him a hug.

"Lost at the gym again." Donovan said. "He's a really tough opponent."

"He _is_ former Elite 4…" Diane mentioned.

She pulled away.

"Donovan, we could really use your help. Specifically Arfy's help."

"Need to find someone?" Donovan asked Freddie with a smile.

"Aura Jones." Freddie said as he took out the Doublade doll.

Donovan's eyes widened.

"Aura Jones? You mean Hue's-?"

Freddie nodded. "She's missing, but should still be in the city."

Donovan gave an understanding nod.

"Alright." Carmen said in the Fighting Dojo.

"The battle between Hue of Fuschia City and Koichi of Saffron City is about to begin! This will be a One on One battle. The battle will be over when one sides pokemon is unable to continue."

"Ready when you are." Koichi said.

Hue remained silent.

Koichi didn't matter right now.

His own job as a detective didn't matter right now.

What mattered was protecting Aura and her decision to travel as a trainer.

"Trainers...send out your pokemon!" Carmen yelled.

"Hitmonlee!" Koichi yelled with confidence. "Come on out!"

"Hitmonlee!" The Hitmonlee said as it took a battle ready stance.

"[Hitmonlee]" Dean announced as Hue held his pokedex up. "The [Kicking] Pokemon. This nimble pokemon launches lethal kicks from almost any position. Hitmonlee can extend and retract its legs at will to kick opponents from almost any distance. Its legs double in length and opponents are surprised by Hitmonlee's attack range when facing it for the first time."

 _I don't recommend using the pokemon you're about to use_. Deus echoed in Hue's mind as Hue began to second guess using Cooper the Cloyster with the hard shell.

Hue thought to himself as well as he could manage to at the moment.

Here was a pokemon who had strong kicks that could hit from almost anywhere.

He needed to use a pokemon that would be able to either avoid or nullify the kicks somehow.

"Oh, Deus, you can't be serious…" Hue said to himself. "Just one screw up and he's done for…"

 _I'm a pokemon of yours too, Hue, remember that_. Deus said. _I'm only here to help_.

Hue sighed.

"Go!" He called. "Douglas!"

"Warrrrrtortle!" Douglas hollered, pumped as ever for battle.

"Douglas!" Hue called out. "If we don't defeat this Hitmonlee, we might never see Aura and Karakara again!"

"Tortle!" Douglas's eyes intensified.

Hue smiled.

It had been a while since he had used his first pokemon for battle, but he was confident.

Douglas had the most personal stake in this out of all of Hue's other pokemon, that he could use at least.

"Battle...Start!" Carmen called.

As she did, Ethel, Diane, Freddie, and Donovan all ran into the room.

"What's going on here?" Freddie asked a nearby student.

"Koichi is battling some kid for the rights to his Foster Daughter or something like that…" the student said. "They're even betting pokemon against each other. That's how much this kid wants Koichi's Foster Daughter to not come back to the Dojo."

"Hue is-.." Ethel began as she stared at the fight about to unfold. "Willing to give up that much for her?"

"Of course he is." Donovan said. "He might act like he's the only one who can think sensibly, but when someone close to him is in trouble, he becomes more rash than poison ivy."

"Huey's always wanted to be someone that could come to the rescue of others." Diane elaborated. "I'm sure he'd mentioned it countless times before. The reason he wanted to become a trainer in the first place was for times like this."

She smiled.

"That's just the kind of person he is."

"That's a Hitmonlee…" Freddie said. "Why is he using Douglas for a Hitmonlee? Why not Ace, or Arthur?"

Diane and Donovan looked at each other and smiled.

"Symbolism." Diane said.

"Using Douglas, his first pokemon, for an important battle such as this one is something Hue would do without a second thought. He's putting everything he is into this battle."

"Hitmonlee!" Koichi called.

"Let's start this off with a High Jump Kick!"

"Lee!" Hitmonlee called as it jumped and shot its long leg out at Douglas.

"Protect!" Hue yelled right away.

Hitmonlee's leg hit the Protect forcefield and Hitmonlee cringed with pain.

"Hitmon…" It wailed.

"Now Douglas, Water Pulse!" Hue yelled.

"Hitmonlee!" Koichi called. "Rolling Kick!"

Hitmonlee rolled under the Water Pulse, came up right beside Douglas, and landed a Rolling Kick hit.

"Tortle…" Douglas coughed.

"Douglas!" Hue called out. "Are you okay?"

"Now Hitmonlee-!" Koichi began.

"Protect!" Hue yelled quickly.

"Feint!" Koichi hollored.

"Hitmon...Leee!" Htimonlee's leg penetrated the Protect forcefield and knocked Douglas back further.

"Douglas!" Hue called.

"War...tortle…" Douglas was already struggling to get up.

His body was radiating a blueish aura.

Uh-oh. Hue thought. If that was what he thought it was...It meant that although a water attack would be powerful, Douglas's health was already at a less than favorable level…

 _Hue…._ Deus's voice rang in his head. _Focus on the battle. Try to find the weakness in your opponent's strength…_

"The weakness in my opponent's strength…" Hue said aloud.

"Hitmonlee, I've seen enough of this travesty. Finish it off with a High Jump Kick." Koichi said.

"Hitmonlee." Hitmonlee nodded. It jumped up high once more, and began to shoot it's leg down.

"Douglas now!" Hue yelled, as his eyes flickered. For some reason, he seemed to have a good grasp on the timing of Koichi's attacks. This must have been Deus's doing.

"Rapid Spin into the air!" Hue yelled

"Warrrrrr!" Douglas careened into the air just in time to avoid a lightning fast kick, which took its toll on Hitmonlee.

"Hitmonleee!" It wailed as it held its foot.

"Tortle!" Douglas yelled as he, still enveloped in the blueish hue, descended, tail first, towards the Hitmonlee.

"That's it Douglas!" Hue yelled. "Don't let them take our friends away!"

"Wartortle!" Douglas screamed a loud Wartortle scream.

His tail began to liquify, until it had turned into glowing water.

"That's-!" Ethel recognized the move. "That's Aqua Tail!" She said, surprised.

"War!" He yelled as his Aqua Tail slammed against the Hitmonlee's head.

"Lee…" Hitmonlee began to stagger backwards.

"And finish it off with a Water Pulse!" Hue yelled.

"Torlte!" Douglas shot a large blast of water that hit the Hitmonlee directly.

The pokemon fell to the floor.

"Hitmonlee is unable to battle!" Carmen said. "The winner is Wartortle, which means victory goes to Hue!"

"Impossible!" Koichi yelled as Hue returned his pokemon.

"I...I...I was told she would be coming back to me, and that she'd remain here! He lied to me! He said Subject 4 wasn't this in touch with-"

Ethel's eyes widened. She quickly walked up to Koichi.

"Who were you talking to about this?" She asked, quite forcefully.

Koichi gasped. "Y-you're...You're…"

Ethel squinted her eyes. She turned to Carmen.

"Arrest this man." She said. "If he isn't part of NTR, he's an affiliate."

"Hitmonlee." The Hitmonlee took a knee before Hue.

"Since you won the battle Hue...I think Hitmonlee's offering itself to be your prize pokemon." Carmen said as she cuffed Koichi.

"Um...okay…" Hue said as he took the Hitmonlee's pokeball.

"Is Bruce a good name?" He asked.

"Hitmonlee." Bruce nodded.

"Well then, glad to have you on board." Hue said happily as he returned Bruce.

All of a sudden, Bruce's pokeball began to glow, and instantly disappeared.

"[Bruce] The [Hitmonlee] has been sent to [Professor Oak's Laboratory]" Dean informed Hue in the robotic voice.

"Oh that's right…" Hue remembered. "I can only carry six on me at a time."

He shook his head a little bit and then turned to Freddie.

"Where's Aura?"

"That's the thing…" Freddie said. "We've been tracking her this whole time...and well, here we are."

"Arfy.." Donovan sent out his Growlithe. "Can you sniff out Aura for us?"

"Growlithe!" Arfy barked as he began to meander around the building.

He stopped in front of the door to a bedroom with a paper sign marked 'No Boys'.

There was a small piece of paper taped to the bottom of the sign which read 'Except Huey'.

Hue could feel himself blushing as most of his friends behind him laughed.

Ethel remained serious, at least.

"You should go in there, and be delicate with what you say." She said.

Hue nodded and was about to enter the room, but stopped for a second.

He turned to Ethel.

"I'm sorry that things ended so strangely on the SS Anne, I'll make it up to you, I promise."

"Y-you don't have to…" Ethel said, doing her best to stay stoic and emotionless, but failing.

"I will." Hue insisted before he entered the room. "By the way, digging the way your using your fourth ribbon as a hair clip."

"Th-thank you." Ethel said, turning away.

"Now go!' Donovan pushed Hue towards the room.

Hue entered the room to see Aura, sitting on what might be considered a bed, but one couldn't tell with the giant mess of dolls of practically every pokemon in existence all throughout the room. Some were really worn out dolls, and some were newer.

"Are you a collector?" Hue asked softly as he somehow managed to surprise the crap out of Aura.

"Huey!" She said as she quickly got up and walked toward him.

"Huey…" She had tears in her eyes.

"Hey…" Hue said with a relieved smile at the fact that she was okay. "It'll all be-"

"Waaah!" Aura threw her arms around him. "Huey….I'm sorry!"

Hue sighed and hugged her back.

"I'm sorry I didn't say anything to you…" She said. "I ran from my problems and now I'll never get to travel with you again because Koichi-"

"Has decided after a long talk that perhaps you should be a trainer after all." Hue smiled as he lied to Aura about Koichi.

There was no way he was going to tell her the truth about how her Foster Father was part of NTR. That would only make her leave Hue in the dust again.

Hue hated it when Aura did that.

"Really?" Aura asked. "Forgive me if I don't believe you."

"I had a battle with him actually." Hue decided to reveal. "I even put my job on the line,"

Up until that point, Hue had been expecting some sort of touching reunion with Aura,

He had even prepared himself mentally in case she was going to sneak a kiss on his cheek again like in Cerulean.

Instead he received the most painful slap in his entire life.

" _Never_ do that again!" She said, quite adamantly.

"I would never be able to forgive myself if I knew that I was the reason that you lost your job as a detective."

" _That's_ what you were mad about?" Hue asked surprised. "Not the fact that the battle was over the rest of your life?"

"Well…" Aura gave a smile. "I have a strong feeling that we'd have ended up still traveling together no matter _which_ way the battle turned out." She said with a knowing gaze.

"Yeah…" Hue admitted. He felt that he probably would have found a way to continue traveling with Aura if he had lost as well.

"By the way, Aura...what were you doing in here?"

"Oh…." Aura said, throwing something into a corner of the room, beyond Hue's vision, and turning red. "I was out and about in the city but it's on lockdown and I just wanted to go somewhere I'd feel safe you know?"

"Well, that makes s-"

Aura's grip on Hue tightened.

"But right now...right now is when I feel the safest Huey. Promise me that we can continue traveling together all the way to the pokemon league."

Hue smiled.

"Of course Aura. I promise."

Not so far away, sitting in a large chair, overlooking the president's office of Silph Co., the man cloaked in shadow that wore a white dress suit was moving pieces around on a map of the Kanto Region.

"And now we remove the Dojo master from the game." The man said with a grin.

"And the red detective has foolishly locked down the city for a while longer. She's fulfilled her purpose here. I'll see if one of my subordinates somewhere else can pull her over without distracting Subject 4 and Miss Jones as well."

He then placed a piece that resembled Ethel on the map at Saffron City.

"And she'll make this round of the game quite eventful."

"Chandler, sir?" A receptionist asked. "Is everything alright?"

"I've been dealt a rather poor hand this time." Chandler said, though a grin appeared on his face.

"It's a good thing I know how to use the cards."


	33. Chessmasters

Chapter 33:

Chessmasters

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Aqua Tail, Water Pulse

Ace(Pidgeotto): Mud-Slap, Quick Attack, Roost, Twister

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Arthur(Ralts): Confusion, Lucky Chant, Teleport, Disarming Voice

Venus(Weepinbell): Poison Powder, Acid, Slam, Razor Leaf

Bruce(Hitmonlee): Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

"Thanks for looking after Cooper while I get some training in with Bruce, Professor Oak." Hue thanked the professor over the computer phone set up in the pokemon center.

"Oh, it's no problem at all." Professor Oak smiled. "Just be sure to check in every now and again.

"Oh, he won't be there long, Professor." Hue assured him. "Cooper's just been getting a _lot_ of action lately, so I thought he might enjoy a break. Right Cooper?"

"Cloyster!" Cooper smiled into the computer phone before shutting himself in his shell and beginning to sleep.

"Looks like he's tired." Professor Oak said before turning back to Hue. "Have fun out there and keep doing good work!"

"I will Professor!" Hue said as they both hung up.

Hue sighed. He was exhausted from the past week after all.

Everyone was all out of sorts.

Diane and Ethel were both also in Saffron City looking for gym battles, both of whom were incredibly on edge because of it, and Donovan had just lost one, and seemed unusually unenthusiastic about this reunion.

Freddie was behaving rather strange as well. He would keep glancing over towards Diane and Ethel when he thought no one was looking.

And Hue could overlook all of that, really. Kids his age had strong emotions after all.

That wasn't what had _him_ upset and out of sorts.

It was Aura, who had still yet to leave her room of the pokemon center.

Aura had been avoiding him like the plague after her show of vulnerability in the Fighting Dojo.

Hue didn't exactly understand _why_. She normally would become _more_ clingy after these types of events.

"Hue…" Ethel put a hand on his shoulder. "I've been meaning to ask you this for a while now...but where did you _get_ that Cloyster?"

He didn't know whether she was trying to make conversation or what, but he answered none the less.

"I caught him on Route 12…" Hue answered honestly. "He had been left there by his previous trainer and-"

"So it _was_ hers!" Ethel said, excitedly.

"I.." Hue began, not quite knowing what was going on.

"Do you plan to fill me in on who you're talking about?"

Ethel quickly put her hands to her mouth.

"Oh...did I say that out loud? I'm sorry, please forget about that!"

Hue had a feeling that now that Ethel had told him to, he wouldn't forget it at all.

He walked back to the room where Aura was no doubt still holed up.

"I wouldn't…" Diane said as he walked passed her.

"She's giving off a _major_ leave me alone vibe."

"How major?"

"Nothing you say or do will get her to let you in." Donovan said. "That kind of major."

"This is ridiculous." Hue rolled his eyes.

"It isn't like I haven't done pretty much this exact thing before. Remember when she ran away from Pewter City?"

"With all due respect Hue…" Ethel said. "She clearly feels that whatever happened in Pewter and what happened just this week are two very different events."

"I thought she'd be _happy_." Hue sighed, still very exhausted. His head wasn't throbbing, which was great, considering the large amounts of stress he felt whenever Deus attempted to talk to him.

"Now what am I supposed to do?"

"I wouldn't say she's not happy…" Ethel turned red as she closed her eyes and tried to keep a stoic face. "I-If someone I liked was willing to risk so much for my sake, I'd probably be bawling all over them as well."

Hue honestly could not imagine Ethel crying. She showed too little emotion to do that kind of thing.

Though Aura's breakdown was also a bit of a shock, now that he thought of it.

"Well...I'm really not in the mood, but I really don't see any reason for me to _not_ go to the gym and challenge...umm…"

"Will." Donovan said. "He's the Saffron City gym leader, and he used to be a member of the Indigo Area's Elite 4."

"He specializes in Psychic types." Diane said. "So a lot of trainers in Kanto have trouble facing this gym."

Hue sighed. It was true that Kanto had very few pokemon capable of standing up to psychic types.

"Aura…" Hue knocked on the locked door.

"I think it might be better that we leave Saffron City as quickly as possible once the gates are no longer in lockdown mode, so now would be the best time for you to earn your badge…"

A slip of paper made its way through the crack on the floor.

Hue picked it up and read it quietly to himself.

"I'll be ready in a few minutes. After the battle remind me that I need to tell you something."

Hue wondered what this something was, but he was just glad that Aura would be coming along to the gym.

He'd let her go first this time, figuring it didn't matter who went first after all, considering neither would leave until they both had badges.

"Alright, let's all get going then." Freddie said standing up.

"Right." Diane nodded. "Operation: Full Assault on Will's Gym is a go!"

"Y-you're all coming too?"

"Well…" Donovan looked around. "If I'm not mistaken, we _are_ all trainers that want badges, right Didi?"

"Right!" Diane grinned. "We're also all trainers without badges from that particular gym."

When Aura exited the room finally, _everyone_ was taken aback.

She wasn't wearing her hakama anymore.

Instead she was wearing a white tank top and long blue jeans. Over her tank top she was wearing a thin black fleece.

After seeing Aura in a hakama for all this time, the normal clothes were a big shock.

"A-...A-..." It was the kimono incident all over again.

Hue couldn't get words to come out of his mouth.

Aura gave a nervous sigh.

"I bought these while I was running around Saffron." She said, looking down at the floor, and away from everyone's eyes. "I felt that if I wasn't ever going to go back to the dojo, then I'd need to return the hakamas I took off with and instead buy some actual clothes."

"Well…" Diane grinned. "You certainly picked the right ones." She pointed at Hue.

"Huey here looks like he can no longer tell which way is up."

"I-..." Hue began, but he really couldn't say anything.

Aura's hakamas were big and had always done a really good job at covering her breasts, making her seem a lot less matured than she actually was.

"It looks good on you." Hue said, quickly turning around so that normal teenage temptation wouldn't get the better of him.

"Now let's go to the gym!"

As the six trainers all walked outside into the bright sunlight, Freddie kept to the back with Aura.

"Mind telling me why you're avoiding Hue?" He asked as he put a hand to his heart and another in the air.

"Chef's Honor, I promise not to tell if you don't want me to."

Aura looked around to make sure no one was looking.

"Well…" She was embarrassed to say it. "Well...I sort of...I don't...I can't...it's just...yeah."

"Quite helpful." Freddie said. "Thanks for the enlightening words. I now completely understand your situation."

"I don't know what to say alright?" Aura huffed as she blew her long black hair out of her eye. "I...I didn't think he would...do so much for me…"

"He's a guy." Freddie said. "We're all idiots, trust me on this one. But for me personally, It's getting a little unbearable to see the two of you do this awkward dance around the conversation that you'll inevitably have one day."

Aura gave Freddie a look.

Freddie gave a knowing grin.

"And then you'll get married, and have two kids, a girl first, and then a boy, and you'll retire to some place like Pallet Town and live happily ever aft-ahhh!"

Freddie massaged the cheek that Aura had punched.

"You be quiet." She said, going red. "And never talk about that again with me ever."

Freddie quickly nodded and sulked back.

Aura bit her nail and looked away.

"We'll have more than two…"

"You say something?" Hue asked Aura from the front of the group.

"I said we have more than two challengers here." Aura called, pleased with her save.

"That's true…" Ethel nodded.

"It'd be hard for a gym leader to take on all six of us in a single day."

"We _could_ pair up…" Freddie grinned, giving Aura a look.

"And we could just do three double battles."

"Then I call Donnie!" Diane said as she threw her arms around Donovan.

"Agh!" He said. "Didi, you're throwing me off balance!"

"Actually..." Freddie began. "I was thinking that maybe _I_ could-"

"You wouldn't mind teaming up for a double battle would you?" Ethel asked Hue.  
"I...guess not?" Hue replied, just confused.

"No, I was thinking that Hue would go with-"

"Enough of this." Aura said. "We shouldn't jump to conclusions right away. Let's all just go to the gym, and listen to what the leader has to say."

"Yeah…" Hue agreed, still just as confused. "We wouldn't want to inconvenience a former Elite 4 member if doing double battles isn't really his thing."

"Welcome!" A man with purple hair said as he stood atop a large platform. "It was lady fortune who informed me of the arrival of six young trainers today!" He gave a bow.

"My name is Will, and I am the gym leader of Saffron City! As you may or may not know, I specialize in Psychic type pokemon."

He sniffed as he noticed Hue.

"You there." He said. "You chose a Squirtle as your first pokemon did you not?"

Hue's jaw dropped.

"How did you know?" He asked.

"I can see all through my pokemon's amazing psychic powers!" Will replied. "I've had many of my pokemon since I was but a young boy, and a select few even helped me in my years as a member of the Elite 4!"

He looked over at Diane.

"Lady with the long red curls. I take it you chose a Charmander as your first, did you not?"

"Oooh!" Diane's eyes widened.

"Do it again! Do it again!"

"Actually…" Ethel said, before Will could do anything again. "I'd like to ask a question."

She pointed at the battlefield below the platform that Will was standing on.

"Why is that battlefield in the shape of a chessboard?"

"Quite the observer aren't you?" Will smiled. "Allow me to explain the unique reason that the battlefield has taken on this unique shape, size, color, and pattern!"

He snapped his fingers and the lights in the gym turned a glowing purple. The floor that the six trainers were standing on began to rise up.

"Okay…." Freddie said, gripping the railing. "Didn't expect this to happen…"

"You'll be pleased to know that I've accommodated my gym specifically for your visit!" Will stated. "For today is a day that will test exactly how in sync the trainers can be with their pokemon, and how in sync trainers can be with each other!"

He spun around and pointed at all six trainers.

"Yes!" He shouted. " _That_ is what my gym will test you on! it will be a full six on six battle, where I lay out all that I am on the field, but you will each contribute a single piece to create something entirely different altogether. A melting pot pokemon team, as it were!"

"I'm not following any of this…" Donovan shook his head as he talked to Hue.

"You're not the only one…" Hue replied. "I feel like I shouldn't be challenging this guy. He's giving off a very strange aura…"

"Yes, what is it?" Aura asked with a joking grin.

Hue turned. "Oh no, I'm sorry I meant like the actual-"

He stopped as he forgot how to speak again.

"Huey?" Aura waved her hand in front of his face. "You know I was joking right?"

"Right. Sorry." Hue said, quickly turning red and looking away. "I forgot that you're wearing those clothes now. It won't happen again."

"I've just realized…" Ethel said.

"That you've yet to explain to me the reason behind the chessboard battlefield."

"Patience child of my colleague in Viridian." Will said. "I shall explain now, for since a six on six at once battle is unheard of, and, let's face it, a bit hard to keep track of, I have developed a system to make this much easier on the boys and girls that battle here."

"Go on…" Ethel crossed her arms and closed her eyes as she began to think about...something.

Hue wasn't sure what.

"I call it PokeChess!" Will said. "It's perfect for your group of six. And also a way to make sure that those who deserve their badges will earn their badges!"

"So...even if your pokemon are completely defeated, we might not all get a badge?" Hue asked.

"That's true, boy in blue." Will nodded. "For if five out of six are busting their butts while the sixth is simply sitting on theirs, wouldn't that sixth person's badge seem a little unfair?"

"Yeah, I guess it would." Hue agreed.

"That's why…" Will posed again. "That's why I've created PokeChess! If any of you are familiar with actual chess, then this style of battle should be something you can really sink your teeth into. Of course, it's only possible here in my Psychic gym, where the rules of reality can be bent and not broken, thanks to the special bonuses given to each of the roles for the pokemon."

"Chess…" Donovan said. "That's the game with the white and black armies where the objective is to capture the opposing army's king in a checkmate."

"There are six types of chess pieces." Hue nodded. "King, Queen, Bishop, Knight, Rook, and Pawn."

"That is correct." Will said. "And while Pawns are normally plentiful, and Bishops, Knights, and Rooks are two pieces each, in this game of chess, we are limited to one of each variety."

"And...how do we decide who puts up what piece?" Hue asked.

"A random lottery of course." Will said.

"The trainer with the corresponding chess piece symbol on their card will play that piece's roll in PokeChess. I recommend that trainers choose pokemon most suited to the part of the piece."

A gym referee came over to the six trainers and held out a hat with scraps of paper in it.

"Lottery time." The ref said. "Make sure you only take one, and no trying to trade with others. You have been given these pieces by fate."

Hue looked at his scrap of paper.

"The Pawn…" He sighed. He read the 'requirements'. "Must be a basic pokemon capable of evolution." He looked at Arthur's pokeball.

"Well, at least I have someone who fits the bill already."

He then noticed a small notch in the note.

"Will forget a move while in battle?" Hue asked aloud.

"It's only temporary." Will reassured him. "Besides, the move your Ralts will forget is teleport. The move that you would undoubtedly use to cheat your way across the board."

That was right!

If Hue could get Arthur across the chessboard, then Arthur could become any other piece besides king, and get stat boosts rather than being nerfed.

"You ready Arthur?" Hue asked his Ralts.

"Ralts!" Arthur nodded.

Hue hated having to use such a young pokemon in battle, even though he'd been doing it a lot recently. Thankfully, Arthur was fine with it for now.

"The Bishop…" Freddie said as he looked at his paper scrap. "It says here I'll get a special attack and special defense bonus, and it needs to be a pokemon in the middle stage of an evolutionary cycle…"

He looked down at his four pokemon. "I have two that fit the bill...but I think I'll use Haunter."

"The Knight…" Donovan said. "I get a boost to speed and attack, and the pokemon has to be either a humanoid pokemon or some sort of animal mount…"

He looked down at his pokemon.

"Dosey…" He said as he picked up his Doduo's pokeball.

"Rook." Aura said as she looked at her paper. "I need an evolved pokemon and it gets a bonus to defense and health?"

She held up a pokeball. "Purin, this is all you."

"Queen." Diane said. "Must be fully evolved pokemon, and must be female. Bonus to all stats."

Diane grinned. "Charolette!" She said as she raised her pokeball.

"It's a freaking Charizard now?" Donovan asked, bewildered.

"How much are you training that thing?" Hue asked, just as bewildered.

"Tee hee…" Diane chuckled. "I've been training her for at least two hours every day since I got her."

"I guess, if those are your pieces, I'm the King then…" Ethel said as she looked at her scrap of paper with the king symbol on it.

"I need a fully evolved pokemon, and that's it. I don't get anything else."

She sighed.

"I didn't want to use it, but right now it's the only one I _can_ use."

She held up a pokeball.

"Milotic." She said as the Milotic appeared on the chessboard.

"Right…" Hue said as he threw Arthur's pokeball, and Arthur also appeared on the chessboard.

Followed by Freddie's Haunter, then Donovan's Doduo, Aura's Wigglytuff, and Diane's Charizard.

"I should mention…" Will said. "That just like regular chess, the king is the piece to protect above all else. Should your king be defeated, you will _all_ be defeated."

"I think it'll be a little hard to do this all at once with so many people shouting out orders."

"Don't worry." Will waved his hand. "This game board has been outfitted with psychic energy so that you trainers can only hear me, and whomever your king mentally allows you to hear."

Everyone looked at Ethel.

She had a lot riding on her.

"To think that the most royal-like person among you has become the king." Will laughed.

"A fun fate is it not?"

His eyes did a flicker as they darted towards Hue.

"There's more than _one_ trainer here with a piece that fits them the best…"

Hue didn't know why that line startled him so much.

He looked as his Pawn symbol on his piece of paper.

This was going to be an ordeal.

"Allow me to introduce you to _my_ game pieces." Will said as he sent out six pokemon.

The first one, easy enough to guess, was an Abra.

"This is my Pawn." Will stated. "No need to worry, I've taught him moves to make up for the Teleport ban, so I won't be cheating my way to a promotion so easily."

He then sent out a Mr. Mime.

"Here is my Knight." He said. "A humanoid pokemon as you can see."

Next came Kadabra.

"Here is my Bishop." Will said. "A middle stage pokemon, just like that Haunter over there."

"Now...my Rook!" Will said as he sent out a Slowbro.

"Slowbro is the perfect build for my Rook, oh yes he is!"

Will's eyes flickered. "For my Queen...It shall be _her._ "

He sent out a Jynx.

"And finally…" Will said as he sent out an Alakazam.

"My King."

He motioned to the referee to take their place on the ref's podium.

"I'll give you guys time to devise a strategy and we'll begin whenever you call the first move." He said.

"So what should we do?" Donovan asked as everyone huddled.

"We need to gang up on the king…" Diane said. "But we don't want to leave our King wide open either."

"Let's divide up the task as evenly as possible." Ethel said. "For starters, I want the Rook and Queen to eliminate their counterparts."

Aura and Diane looked at each other and smiled.

"Two thousand pokeyen says I finish before you do." Aura smirked.

"You're betting our money _now_?" Hue asked, honestly having mixed feelings about Aura being back to her usual self again.

"We do need to save it you know…"

"Speaking of saving…" Ethel said. "Hue, you can't let Arthur get too involved into any fights until its safer to move him into enemy territory. Keep him on the move if you can, but avoid picking any fights. If you do find yourself in a pickle, tell me, since I'll be able to hear all of you once the battle starts. I'll send whatever help your way that I can."

"Right." Hue nodded.

"What about us?" Freddie and Donovan both asked at the same time.

"You two will both be in charge of protecting Milotic." Ethel said, quite stoically.

"And Milotic will go straight for the Alakazam."

"Are you all quite ready?" Will asked from his platform.

"We're all ready!" Ethel called back.

"Then battle...start!" The ref called.

Instantly, Hue could no longer here anything that most of his friends were saying.

"Hue!" He heard Ethel say quite forcefully.

"I know that this might be a bit much to ask of you, but I'd like to borrow your ability for a moment."

"Right." Hue focused as hard as he could.

If he could just get his eyes to analyze everything that he could…

"Abra, use Hidden Power on that Ralts!" Will yelled before Hue could focus.

"Arthur!" He instinctively called in response. "counter it with Disarming Voice!"

The two attacks collided with each other and sent sparkles flying throughout the gym area

"Damn it…" Ethel said.

"Your power won't be any good. I forgot that he can hear everything I say to you guys."

"Can he hear me?" Hue asked.

"Only if you tell Arthur to do something." Ethel said.

"On that note, stick to the plan, but try to activate whatever it is you do that got you your job as a detective."

"Right." Hue nodded.

"Arthur, we need to at least keep that Abra busy. Continue with Disarming Voice!"

"Rallllts!" Arthur sang as large pink notes formed and hit the Abra dead on.

"Book it Arthur!" Hue called.

"Try to get passed that Abra!"

"Hue that isn't what I told you to d-" Ethel began but stopped short.

"Hue dodge that!"

"Arthur!" Hue called. "Go prone now!"

"Ralts!" Arthur lunged into a crawling position just in time to avoid a large beam of ice from Jynx, the Queen.

"Why hasn't Diane taken care of that yet?" Hue asked, on edge.

"She's doing the best she can Hue." Ethel said. "Look at the battlefield."

Hue looked over at where Diane's Charizard was busy fighting the Jynx, and dodging various Ice Beams.

"Tell Diane that she'll also get some free food from Freddie if she beats Aura to knocking out her target." Hue said, realizing that the Ice Beam had probably been aimed at the Charizard and not at Arthur.

"Got it." Ethel said, her voice already sounding very tired. She was probably talking to everyone all at once. "But please, focus on your own pokemon right now, let me handle the commanding shit."

Hue grinned. Ethel did seem to be the one with the most patience to handle all the commanding shit as she had so elegantly put.

"YES!" Aura yelled as Purin put his foot on a defeated Slowbro.

"That's one down everybody. I think we've all learned who the most powerful-Purin look out!"  
She yelled before she was cut off.

"Sorry about that." Ethel said. "She's busy with the Mr. Mime now."

"Nooo!" Freddie yelled.

"Haunter's down everyone…" He said, hanging his head. "Haunter's down…"

"Donovan, go after the Bishop Kadabra." Ethel said. "Hue, when his Doduo gets there, I want the Abra to be out of the picture."

"Right." Hue said.

"Arthur, use Confusion on that Abra!"

"Abra!" Will called. "Counter it with-"

"Disable!" Aura called as Purin shot a quick glance at the Abra.

"Aura!" Hue's eyes lit up as the Confusion hit the Abra spot on, sending it flying.

"The Pawn Abra is out of play everyone." Hue announced, pleased with himself.

"You're welcome for the assist Huey." Aura said. "You can-"

She was cut again.

"She's no longer relevant to your strategy." Ethel said quite emotionlessly. "Book it to the end of the board, Hue, go!"

"Guys…" Donovan said…"Sorry about this…"

"Oh no, don't tell me…" Hue said. He looked over.

A Mr. Mime and a Kadabra were both standing over the fainted Doduo.

"So it's just the ladies and Huey now, huh?" Diane asked.

"Diane...if you could finally dispose of the Jynx Queen, it would really help us out, because we could use a Charizard's help right about now…"

"Okay, _fine…_ " Diane gave a sigh. "Charolette, Fire Pledge!"

A giant pillar of fire shot up from the ground, and enveloped Jynx.

"Jynx is unable to battle" He could see the ref call out.

"Okay good…" Hue said as Arthur continued to run towards the end of the board.

"Mr. Mime!" Will called. "Magical Leaf on that sneaking Ralts mouse!"

"Arthur look out!" Hue tried to call, but Arthur was hit with the magical leaf.

"That move doesn't miss, Huey." Diane said as her Charizard flew over to deal with the Mr. Mime.

"Kadabra's down." Ethel informed everyone. "I'm also doing the best I can to keep the Alakazam at bay, but Milotic is slipping. We can't let him faint or else its over for all of us!"

"Purin can't hold up against the Alakazam King on his own!" Aura said.

"Charolette is busy with the Mr. Mime right now!" Diane replied.

"Hue, it needs to be you." Ethel said. "You need to help Aura fight the Alakazam."

"You heard her Arthur!" Hue yelled.

"Get to the other side of the board and _fight_!"

Arthur began to glow a bright light as he reached the other side of the board.

"I promote my Pawn…" Ethel said with a grin. "To a Bishop!"

"Kiiiiiirliaaaaaa!" Arthur yelled as the light receded from him.

"Alright!" Hue said. He took out his pokedex.

"[Kirlia]." Dean said. "The [Emotion] Pokemon. Kirlia uses the horns on its head to amplify its Psychic powers, and when this occurs reality becomes warped, and future events can be seen. Kirlia is able to sense the feelings of its trainer, and when it becomes happy, will start to dance."

"Warp reality for visions of the future huh?" Hue grinned.

He looked further in his pokedex.  
Arthur appeared to have learned a new set of moves upon evolving.

"Heal Pulse, Arthur!" Hue yelled as Arthur quickly shot a regenerative beam at Milotic.

"Arthur, keep up with the Heal Pulse!" He said.

"Kirlia!" Arthur nodded.

Hue raised Dean up to the Alakazam while Arthur ran around being a cleric for the fighting pokemon.

"[Alakazam]." Dean stated. "The [Psi] Pokemon. This pokemon uses Psychic attacks to overcome its opponents. With the brain like a super computer, it possesses many different supernatural powers."

"Oh that doesn't help at all!" Hue yelled.

"Do you know what _does_ help?" Ethel asked, sounding confident.

"Mr. Mime tangled up and unable to do any more damage."

Hue looked over and noticed Milotic coiling a fainted Mr. Mime.

Only the Alakazam was left.

"Magical Leaf, Arthur!" Hue called.

"Kirlia!" Arthur shot leaves straight at the Alakazam.

"Purin, Play Rough!" Aura yelled.

"Charolette, Fire Pledge!" Diane shouted.

"And that's check…" Ethel said as Milotic loomed over the Alakazam.

"Milotic, let's show it mercy, and finish it off with a Dragon Tail."

"Lotic…" The Milotic said, quite regally, as it slammed its tail into the Alakazam.

Ethel gave a confident smile that Hue had only ever seen on Aura's face before.

"And that's _checkmate_." She said.

Hue, Diane, Ethel, and Aura all received badges from Will.

Freddie and Donovan were both left high and dry for failure to outlast their own counterparts.

"I...I think I'll wait quite a while before I challenge _him_ again." Freddie said to both Hue and Aura.

"We can go straight on to Celadon when the gates open up, but I'll have to come back here to get my own badge from this guy once the Cooking Contest there is over."

"Understood." Aura nodded.

"Magical Leaf and Heal Pulse…" Hue said, looking at Arthur's data in his pokedex.

"That line truly is a wonderful one." Ethel smiled.

"Oh!" She remembered something and took out a pokeball.

"Hue, take a look!"

She sent out-

"Gardevoir…" The Gardevoir said as it noticed Arthur, who was still outside his pokeball.

"Kirlia?" Arthur seemed to recognize the Gardevoir.

The two both hid behind their respective trainers again.

"Ugh." Aura rolled her eyes.

She looked over at where Douglas and Karakara were eating pokemon food.

"Tortle?" Douglas offered Karakara his food, and received a bonk on his head with her bone, but not before she accepted his offering.

"Hm…" Aura smiled.

She then noticed that Diane had been staring at her the whole time.

"Hmmmm…" Diane smiled and gave a wink.

"Mmmmnnnh…" Aura growled and gave a death stare.

"You two are humming more than Altaria on a sunny day." Donovan said.

"What's up?"

"Nothing." Diane laughed. "The usual, I'd guess, right Aura?"

Before Aura could answer, Carmen Yiddle burst into the pokemon center and made a beeline for Hue.

She plopped a manilla folder on the table in front of him.

"Read it." She said.

"And get me a suspect while I'm away on business in Cerulean."

"Can I-"

"At this point, I've learned that it's a waste of energy to try and stop you from bringing others along. Go nuts." She said. "Just get the Saffron Officer Jenny a suspect, and make sure that you don't accuse willy nilly. We can't have innocent Silph Co. employees come under fire, capiche?"

"Yeah, i get it…" Hue said.

He opened up what he assumed were the case files.

The title of them was…

Silph Co. Serial Murder Case.

"Silph Co?" Ethel asked, confused.

"Yeah...what about it?"

"I just find that strange…" She said, her eyes shaking a bit. "I mean...father hasn't said anything about a case like this...and he's the CEO…"


	34. The Sleuth of Silph Co

Chapter 34:

The Sleuth of Silph Co.

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Aqua Tail, Water Pulse

Ace(Pidgeotto): Mud-Slap, Quick Attack, Roost, Twister

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Arthur(Kirlia): Confusion, Disarming Voice, Magical Leaf, Heal Pulse

Venus(Weepinbell): Poison Powder, Acid, Slam, Razor Leaf

Bruce(Hitmonlee): Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

Hue's eyes widened as the sliding doors to the large Silph Co. tower opened up and let him, Aura, and everyone else inside to a room almost entirely chrome in color.

"You should take off your jackets here." Ethel instructed all the jacket wearers as she pointed to large cubby not to far from the door.

"Can I...keep mine on?" Aura asked. "I'm not a big fan of the cold…"

"Relax. It's December so the heaters are running. You won't get cold by removing that thin jacket of yours." Ethel said, more in way that emphasized that jackets _must_ be placed in the cubby with no exceptions.

That was the first note that Hue made in his head.

"Welcome to Silph Co. HQ." The receptionist smiled. "Miss Ross, are these your guests? Are you here to see your father?"

"No…" Ethel shook her head and began to stroke her hair. "Actually, It's umm... _He's_ the one who's visiting right now." She pointed at Hue.

Hue held up Gumshoe's pokeball.

"I'm Detective Swanson," He said. "I'm here to request access to the upper floors of the building."

"Wait, he wasn't joking about that?" Donovan asked. "He's really a Detective?"

"He sure is." Freddie nodded. "He might be a bit... _young_...but he's definitely saved my hide."

"Ah yes." The receptionist said, suddenly becoming serious, as a grim expression appeared over her face.

"I'll be happy to tell you anything you need to know, but I'm afraid I can't allow an investigation party this big into the upper floors of the building. As I'm sure you're all aware, Silph Co.'s _last_ President had to deal with the original Team Rocket as they took over the building in order to obtain the Master Ball."

Hue nodded.

"And this current president would rather not let word get out that his enhanced security was infiltrated, for risk of NTR repeating history. Is that correct?"

"You catch on quickly." The receptionist nodded, still no longer smiling. "So, I'd much rather you not bring such a big investigation party up with you."

"Hold on, Huey…" Aura said as she walked up to the receptionist.

She didn't say anything, just stared at her.

Finally Aura turned and walked back towards the coat cubby, and motioned for Hue to come over.

"What is it?" He whispered. "Are you going to try to sneak into the upper floors again?"

"No, you moron, I'm discussing a plan with you. I personally don't see any reason to bring your friends to the scene of multiple murders. Why don't we have Donovan and Diane stay down here?"

"And what, just wait in the lobby for hours on end?" Hue asked.

"No, they could be on stand-by." Aura said, quite enthusiastically about it.

"Hey, what're we talking about?" Freddie asked as he joined the huddle, uninvited.

"Perfect timing, Freddie." Aura gave a menacing smirk. "You can keep Donovan and Diane company down here while the A-Team goes upstairs to investigate."

"Oh come on, Aura…" Hue rolled his eyes as he adjusted his glasses. "There's no way that Freddie wants to-"

"Yeah, sounds like a plan!" Freddie smiled. "If you need us to do anything down here, just call!"

"There is actually _one_ thing that I want you to be prepared for Freddie…" Hue said.

He whispered in Freddie's ear.

"Are you sure that you might need me to do that?" Freddie asked. "Because I don't want to put her in a dangerous situation?"

"She'll be fine." Hue smiled. "And she might not need to do it at all, but just keep her ready at a moment's notice."

"Okay…" Freddie shrugged. "You're the detective, I guess…"

Aura and Hue headed back over to the receptionist lady.

"It'll just be us two." He said pointing to himself and Aura.

He motioned to Diane, Donovan, and Freddie. "Those three will be waiting here in the lobby."

"What about me?" Ethel asked.

"What _about_ you?" Aura replied, almost hostile. "You're the CEO's daughter, so you should be able to roam the building freely anyway."

"While the _tone_ I'd use would be different…" Hue said sternly to Aura as though he was talking to a small child. "I agree with Aura. There's no need for me to officially involve you in the investigation, especially since you already have access everywhere, and it would be better for the public if the CEO's family wasn't involved in anyway."

Ethel nodded for a bit and then promptly stopped.

"Fuck that, I'm coming with you guys." She said as she pointed to Arthur's pokeball.

"Your Kirlia, although more powerful, has lost the ability to tell the emotions of anything other than you. You've lost your lie detector."

"...So?" Hue asked.

" _I_ happen to be great at cold reading." Ethel boasted. "This is a big company. And big companies have just as much political intrigue as small countries. You're going to _need_ a lie detector."

"I find it hard to argue with that." Hue smiled at Aura.

"Looks like its a team of three."

Aura sighed, knowing she had to give ground and allow this to happen.

"You don't catch on as quickly as the receptionist thinks you do, Huey…"

Once everyone had been given official approval by Officer Jenny who was stationed on 4F, Hue looked over the case files.

"Three victims…" He said. "We have Percy Collier, a researcher…Ella Drake, An IT employee...and Curtis Duke, a janitor?"

"What makes them think this is a serial murder case?" Aura asked.

"Probably the fact that they all appear to be murdered with the same weapon…"

Hue took out a small plastic bag as he once again set his pokedex to play the Phoenix Wright Investigation music.

"You love this job don't you?" Aura smiled.

"The shiv in this bag contains trace amounts of blood from all three victims." Hue said.

"And yeah, I've grown rather fond of it."

"This can't be all the evidence we have to go on." Ethel crossed her arms.

"No, not at all." Hue shook his head.

"For the first friggin time in my career, I've got multiple witnesses and suspects already. My job, which I guess means _our_ job, is to attempt to solve this case and give the Saffron Officer Jenny a _main_ suspect. Someone who will be arrested and tried for the crime."

"And...is that it?" Ethel asked.

"Well, Officer Jenny will be the one to testify in the court since she's the uh.. _lead_ in the investigation, so I wouldn't really think we'd have to do anything else after that. Besides letting Carmen know that I did the job she asked me to do, that is."

"So...Witnesses?" Aura asked.

Hue nodded. "We have seven in total. The first three names on this list were the first to discover the victims bodies. The second three are all close friends or family to the victim who would know doubt be able to give us information about the victims themselves, and what the victims might have been doing on the days of their respective murders."

"And the last one?" Ethel asked.

Hue looked at her.

He knew that she knew who the last witness was.

"It's your father." Hue said.

"But...I need to ask...I don't see any first name on the records. Does he _just_ go by Ross?"

"Well…" Ethel gave a nervous laugh. "He's sort of... _formal_...in nature. You'll see when we end up talking to him."

"In any case, President Ross's reason for being on the witness list is because _he_ is the one that believes that this is a serial killing and not three separate instances."

"And our Suspects?" Aura asked.

"All VPs of certain areas." Hue stated. "My guess is that Ethel's statement about political intrigue being high in here might apply to the case. It isn't unlikely that whoever is responsible for the killings plans to somehow undermine President Ross's company."

"The first thing we should do…" Aura began. "Is question the witnesses, but more specifically, the ones that found the bodies. Who are they?"

Hue looked over the list of Witness names.

"First we have Celia Bird, 45 years old, Female, works as a Security Guard, she was the first to discover Collier's body. Second, there's Landan Callahan, 37 years old, Male, works as an IT employee, and was the first to discover Drake's body. Finally, we have Gregory Church, 39 years old, Male, works as a Janitor during the day shift, and was the first to discover Duke's body."

"Celia Bird, Landan Callahan, and Gregory Church…" Ethel repeated to herself.

"Celia Bird would be on floor 2F, Callahan would be 5F, and Church...well he could be anywhere…"

"Alright then...why don't we take advantage of the situation and split up?" Aura asked. "I'll check with Callahan, and you guys can check with the others."

"If I had something with Church's scent…" Hue sent out Gumshoe, "Gumshoe could track him down."

"Church is an employee here just like everyone else…" Ethel said with her eyes closed and arms crossed. "He should have a coat in the cubby back in the lobby. In the meantime, I'll go check with Bird."

"We should all meet back here with whatever evidence we can find." Hue told both Aura and Ethel.

"Remember, leave no stone unturned when questioning."

The girls nodded.

Hue took out his pokedex.

"Freddie?" He asked as he called.

"Hue? What is it? Don't tell me that you need me to-"

"No, not exactly. But I was wondering if you could get Haunter to bring a jacket up here. It would belong to a Gregory Church, so look for either of those names and have Haunter bring it to me."

"Why? Is there bad stuff in it?"

"Hopefully not. I just need Church's scent to track him down. He's a janitor in a large building and I'd rather not waste time here where everything looks so...robotic."

"Yeah, it certainly does give off an 'Ethel' feel, doesn't it?" Freddie joked. "If this was all her father's idea, I can totally see where she gets it from…"

Ethel walked into the Security Break Room on 2F.

All the Security guards on break stood up and stood at attention.  
Ethel sighed. As much as she liked to avoid the Viridian Gym that her mother ran, coming _here_ was far worse. Every action was observed in this company, by multiple people and organizations, and anyone caught ignoring or disrespecting the President's daughter would often find themselves with a bit of a salary cut.

It was a waste of time to try to set them at ease.

The more crafty ones would nitpick the details and report falsified information in order to rise in ranks and get more money and influence over the large company that specialized in creating technology to help in the capturing of pokemon.

"Celia Bird...Is she here?" Ethel asked.

Celia Bird was tall and slender, but her stern face left no doubt in anyone's mind that she was a security guard of the highest caliber.

"I'm here on business from Officer Jenny." Ethel said. "I was wondering if you could tell me about the-"

"Yes of course!" Celia nodded with a cheerful smile, which was out of character for her. She pushed Ethel into a private room.

"Young Miss, I can't say I approve of your inability to keep this matter as hush-hush as possible." She said. "You _are_ aware that we can't afford to have so much media focused on your father right now. We have enough as it is already."

Ethel made a mental note to revisit that subject later.

"For now, just tell me about when and where you discovered Percy Collier's body, and exactly what the body looked like."

Celia gave a dutiful nod and told Ethel everything she could.

Ethel thanked Celia and then walked up back towards 4F.

Aura entered 5F.

Landan Callahan was working on fixing some sort of electrical generator.

"Are you Landan Callahan?" Aura asked with a smile.

"Who wants to know?" Landan asked as he turned to size Aura up.

"Does one of your parent's work here, little girl?"

Aura gave a small laugh.

She held up Gumshoe's empty pokeball, as he was already out and about with Hue somewhere else.

"I'm with the Kanto police." She smirked. "I know all about your coworker's little...incident."

Landan's eyes squinted. "How much do you know?"

"Enough to want to question you about when and where you found Ella Drake's body, and what conditions the body was in, exactly."

"Oh, okay, phew." Landan lightened up. "I was worried that you were suspecting me for a second."

"Don't be silly." Aura grinned a knowing grin as she began to size Landan up using her piercing green eyes.

"Now...let's start with what exactly you were doing that led you to discover the body…"

Gumshoe, who Hue couldn't return since Aura was holding onto the pokeball for investigation purposes, sniffed his way through Silph Co. until he led Hue to what looked like a small break room on 8F.

The coat that Freddie's Haunter had brought them had a strange a vaguely metallic smell to it, and it's collar was a little damp, but judging from the size of the coat, and the heat it was giving off, that was probably just Church's neck sweat or something gross like that.

Still though…

Hue sighed and texted Freddie to send him a picture of what each jacket in the cubby looked like.

Gregory Church appeared to be changing the beds.

When the man turned to look at Hue, a sense of unease drafted down Hue's spine.

"A Growlithe eh?" The man asked, his eyes full of remorse.

"I take it the police have finally come to question me?"

There was something strange about this man.

Hue couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it felt like he'd _seen_ this man's face before.

Regardless though, Hue knew that Gregory Church couldn't be behind these killings. At least, not alone anyway.

The reason for this was the fact that only one Janitor's Card Key exists, which means at the time of Curtis's death, only _he_ should have been able to access all the rooms in the building.

"Mr. Church." Hue said, still feeling uneasy about this man for some reason.

"I was wondering if you'd answer a few questions about what exactly you saw when you first discovered the body."

"I didn't do it!" Gregory Church shouted, as though most people had assumed it was him. "Please, don't take me away or anything! I have a wife at home and my daughter is out traveling as a trainer!"

As he said that, something clicked in Hue's mind.

He _knew_ this man's daughter.

Well, kind of anyway.

"Is your daughter's name Twilight, by any chance?" Hue asked.

"Don't you lay a finger on her!" Gregory Church tried to sound intimidating but unlike his husky-eyed daughter, he failed to deliver.

"Relax, I won't. I just happened to participate against her in a Contest a while back. Besides…" Hue looked over at Gumshoe.

"Gumshoe isn't barking at you, so I'm inclined to believe that you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Well...as long as you understand that…" Church was beginning to calm down.

"I guess I wouldn't mind telling you what happened that morning."

Gregory Church took a sigh and gave his testimony about what happened.

"It all started at 5:00 AM.

Other Silph Co, employees wouldn't be there for another two hours, and even then, _another_ two hours would need to pass before the general public would be allowed in.

As I entered the double doors, I put my jacket in the cubby just like I always did.

I then went to the retrieve the Janitor's Card Key from the key rack behind the receptionist's desk.

After that, I-"

"Hold it, hold it, hang on a second." Hue said, putting his hand out in a stopping motion.

"You're saying that at the time you discovered Curtis Duke's dead body, the one in possession of the Card Key was... _you_?"

"What, does that make me a suspect?" Church asked, again getting a little offended over something that Hue only wanted clarification for. "Yeah, I was the one with the Janitor's Card Key. How else was I going to find Curtis where I found him?"

"Interesting…" Hue smiled at Gumshoe.

"Growlithe." Gumshoe nodded back.

Hue turned back to Gregory Church. "Please, continue from where we left off."

Church glared, but nodded.

"After retrieving the Janitor's Card Key from the key rack behind the receptionist's desk, I made my way up to the top floor of the building, 11F. That's the CEO's office after all, so I wanted to make sure I cleaned it first.

I like to start there and work my way down the building, since the double doors on the 1st floor are the only way in and out of the building.

As I reached 9F, I noticed someone sleeping in one of the break room beds.

Whoever they were, they smelled awful, so I stepped closer to get a look at their face and report them to someone, but when I took the covers off, I was staring at Curtis Duke's dead body.

He had a slit throat, and seemed to have lost a severe amount of blood, but there was something very strange about it."

"What was strange?" Hue asked.

"Well...the sheets that covered Duke's body were pure white sheets, and even though it was obvious that Duke had lost a lot of blood, the sheets weren't stained in the slightest."

Hue nodded, adding that fact to his mental notes.

"I'd like to know something, If possible." Hue said. "Duke's body...when the police came to take it away, did it _move_ or did rigor mortis already set in?"

"I wouldn't know…" Church shook his head. "I did my best to return to cleaning after I called the police to tell them about the body."

"Well, if you cleaned, then you must have come across the area that Duke was murdered right? Didn't you see a large bloodstain anywhere?" Hue asked, sort of upset that this guy might have unwittingly cleaned up a crime scene.

"If I _did_ don't you think I would have told you already?"

So there wasn't a bloodstain in the entire building eh?

Hue and Gumshoe looked at each other with similar expressions.

That clue only broadened the scope of where and who could have committed the murder.

"Well then." Hue said as he stretched. "I guess our business is concluded Mr. Church. Thank you for your time."

Hue met back up with Ethel and Aura at 4F.

Aura looked rather pleased with herself.

"I think I've got something you guys might want to hear." She chimed as she brushed her long and wavy black hair out of her piercing dark green eye.

"It's about Callahan's testimony. Apparently, he and Drake had planned to meet up in the break room on 6F during their lunch break."

"And?" Ethel asked. "Did Drake never show up or something?"

"Nope." Aura shook her head. "Other way around. It was _Callahan_ that skipped out. He's on track to be the next VP of Technology so he thought it would be better to work through lunch.

He waited for Drake to come back so he could apologize for skipping out, but she never did, so, once his shift was over, he went up to the break room on 6F where he saw Drake lying on the ground. And here's the best part: There was-"

"No blood?" Ethel asked.

Aura looked surprised. "Yeah." She said. "No blood at all, despite her slit throat. But how did you figure that out?"

"Because Collier was found in a similar fashion." Ethel said. "Bird went to go check on him since his office was right above hers and he hadn't been making much noise recently, and she saw him lying there, and no blood."

"And let me guess…" Hue said, with a bad feeling. "Upon a search of the building, no other bloodstains could be found."

Ethel and Aura both nodded.

Hue sighed.

He tried to get an answer out of Church before, but maybe things would be different this time.

"And do _either_ of you know if rigor mortis had set in by the time the body was discovered."

"Bird didn't know." Ethel shook her head.

"Well, Callahan did." Aura hummed, enthusiastic over her small victory.

"He said that when he tried to check Drake for a pulse, she could still be easily moved. Rigor mortis hadn't set in yet for her."

Hue nodded.

That made sense.

"Well, I'm glad we have all this new information, but there's something that's bothering me."

"Which murder took place when." Aura said exactly what was bothering Hue.

"Then, this might be of use." Ethel held up a clipboard.

"It's a weekly report. While we can't say at what _time_ the victims were murdered, we can at least know what _day_."

"According to the schedule…" Aura said, looking over Ethel's shoulder.

"Collier and Duke were both murdered on Tuesday, and Drake was killed the following Friday."

"Then I know the order." Hue said instantly.

"Duke was killed first, at some time in the very early morning, since he was found by Church before anyone else should have been in the building, and then Collier, and then, obviously, Drake was killed last."

He turned to Ethel.

"Furthermore, I'd like to see the footage of the double doors on 1F from Monday to Saturday on the week of the murders."  
"And we'd all love to show it to you." Ethel shook her head. "The trouble is, it's been deleted entirely."

"I see…" Hue said.

He turned to Gumshoe. "Thanks for your help, Gumshoe." He smiled. "I promise to use you in my next Gym Battle!"

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe barked happily as Aura gave Hue his pokeball and Hue returned his Growlithe.

"I've got a feeling that we only really have ⅓ of the story so far…" Aura said.

Hue nodded. "That's why we're going to pay a visit to Oscar Hardin on 3F. He was Collier's research partner. It's time to explore the types of people that the victims were. We might discover some important things if we do."

Ethel and Aura both nodded.

"I should warn the two of you…" Ethel said. "Hardin and Collier's lab can smell a little...chemical-y. So please…" She handed out gas masks and put one on herself.

"Wear these as a precaution."

"This is ridiculous." Hue said as he put the gas mask on, and looked at Aura who had her own on already.

"Are you my m-?" Aura began to ask, playfully.

"No I'm not." Hue sighed. "And now isn't the time to goof off like that.

"Oh, and Aura…" Ethel tossed Aura a hair tie. "You'll want to keep that long hair in a ponytail.

Hue wasn't quite sure, but it sounded like Aura was grumbling about something inside her gas mask.

"Collier? Who?" Oscar Hardin asked upon questioning. "Oh, Percy! Right! My research partner! Or I guess he isn't any more, is he?" Hardin asked.

"We'd just like to know the type of person he was." Ethel spoke clearly through the gas mask.

"Well, he was always the people person in our duo." Hardin said. "While I was busy with the science and the schmiance, he was out talking to people and gathering information.

When he heard about Duke's murder, he _instantly_ told me, do you know what he told me? He told me that he knew _exactly_ who was behind it! He was great at picking up on people's body language."

"So…" Hue began. "What exactly are you two researching?"

"Oh well that's a secret. We can't have the public knowing all our Silph-y secrets can we?"

"Mr. Hardin, what are you working on right now?" Ethel asked.

"Oh of course, I'm looking for the best material to use for the creation of pokeballs!"

He said.

"You should all know that the earliest pokeballs were created from apricorns, right?"

The three nodded.

"Well, then you must also know that making pokeballs out of different materials makes them stronger or weaker. And that's where we come in, we look at what material would create the pokeball with the highest performance rate?"

"And?" Hue asked.

"Carbon." Hardin stated. "That's the main material used to make Master Balls. Carbon can be found in all lifeforms, as such, there's a very small, but existent, pull between Carbon and any living being. But enough about that. I've already told you the type of guy Percy was, so I was wondering if you'd be able to do something for me?"

"What is it?" Aura asked.

"I need you to deliver these Carbon samples to Ms. Lang, three rooms over."

"Lang?" Everyone asked at once.

"Helen Lang is here?" Hue wondered aloud.

He hadn't seen her since Lavender Town. Apparently she was aboard the SS Anne during the incident, but Hue didn't have the chance to formally talk with her then.

"Mark my words, Huey." Aura said. "I _will_ convince Helen Lang to travel with us!"

"She didn't want to the first two times you asked." Hue rolled his eyes.

"Third time's the charm." Aura shrugged.

"It's not Helen." Ethel shook her head, disappointed in the two of them.

"Why would Helen Lang, a trainer and coordinator, be working as a full time employee at Silph Co? This is Carol Lang, her mother."

"Carol Lang…" Hue looked over his list of witnesses.

"Carol Lang is actually witness who is the close friend of Ella Drake, so we can kill two birds with one stone by bringing the Carbon samples over."

And with that, Hue, Aura, and Ethel walked three rooms over to where Carol Lang was busy creating pokeballs.

"And there you have it…" Carol Lang said after she answered their questions. "Ella Drake was an amazing employee, and seemed to get along really well with just about everyone. It was really no surprise that she was among the few people that President Ross felt was deserving of the title of VP of Technology."

Hue hummed as he thought to himself.

"Should we talk to Curtis Duke II?" Ethel asked. "The son that Duke brought to work with him the eve of his murder?"

Hue shook his head.

"He lives too far away from the building, and was probably traumatized by these events. I'd rather not make his life more of a hell than it already is…"

A beat passed by, and then Hue said it.

"I don't want anyone to ever feel the way I felt that day…"

Ethel looked down.

Aura stared directly at her.

"Do you have something you want to tell Huey, Ethel?" She asked.

"It'll have to wait." Hue said. "We need to go talk to your father."

"Are you sure?" Ethel asked, equally as concerned about having Hue meet her father.

"Dad can be a bit...strange."

"No one can be stranger than this one." Hue pointed a thumb at Aura.

"Rude!" She said. "I'm not the one with the-."

She stopped herself.

It was a good thing to, since Carol Lang was still right there. Hue didn't want anyone who didn't need to know to find out about the strange pokemon living inside him.

"Nevermind." Aura said. "I agree, we should go talk to Papa Ross as soon as possible."

Ethel gulped.

"This'll be the first time I introduce anyone to my father…" She said. "So please, just bear with me."

Before they left, Hue finally got his picture from Freddie.

He instantly knew that this photo was going to be his secret weapon.

The double doors to the CEO's office slid open and Ethel brought Hue and Aura into what looked exactly like what one would expect the CEO of a large and powerful company's office to look like. A large room with a large desk near a wall-sized window that had a view overlooking the city.

"You can see the Gym and Fight Dojo from here!" Aura said, excited to be this high up.

Hue was having a much different reaction.

"Oh, I hope to Arceus that this glass doesn't break…" He said.

There was no strange PJ pokemon to fly him anywhere this time.

"Relax, it won't break." Ethel's father said as he entered the room behind them, accompanied by a small team of guards.

The man himself was dressed in a completely white dress suit, and had slick white hair just like his daughter. He wore a pair of what looked to be sunglasses, attached to an earphone that he was keeping as handy as possible.

At his waist were six pokeballs.

Hue caught himself wondering what type of trainer Ethel's father was.

"Ethel, what in the world has made you bring these two here to my office?" He asked. "I've told you time and time again that if you want to have friends over, you should do it at the Gym so that-"

"Well...I'd only consider _one_ of them to be a friend of mine…" Ethel said, bitterly, "But even so, I brought them here because we're investigating for the Kanto Police Department and you're the last one we need to talk to before we'll have talked to all the witnesses."

President Ross's stoic expression turned into a substantial frown.

"I thought I told you to stay away from as much trouble as possible." He said. "There's enough media paying attention to our family already."

"Um...excuse me…" Hue said, not really wanting to interrupt what looked like such an important figure, but also not wanting to just stand around in this office forever.

"But um...I'm Hubert Swanson. I'm a detective on this case, so I'd like to ask you a few questions."

"Sorry Hue…" Ethel said. "But when Dad gets like this, he-"

"I'll answer your questions, Hubert Swanson." Ethel's father said. "If you've been kind enough to look after my daughter despite her rudeness and unwillingness to be your friend, then I guess I can entertain you. Besides, I believe this case best be wrapped up quickly."

Hue nodded, opting to _not_ bring up that it was probably Aura that Ethel had excluded from her 'friends' list.

"Well, there isn't much I really want to ask you." Hue said as he and President Ross sat down at the desk. "Two or three questions really."

"Interesting." President Ross smiled. "Go on."

"First.., I want to know what your relationship to the victims was."

"Different for all of them…" President Ross said. "I often approached both Collier and Hardin to observe the progress of their research."

"Into pokeball material?"

"Yes." President Ross nodded. "And it was more often Collier that I had meetings with, since as I'm sure Hardin has told you, Collier was the more socially aware of the two. Next...umm...Duke? I believe that was Curtis's last name. He was an old friend of mine. I gave him a job as a janitor here after he went through some hard times. I was actually planning to give him a day job here starting next month, but well...I guess I won't be anymore. And then there's Ella Drake…"

President Ross looked around the room.

"Don't tell anyone this secret, but I had planned from the second I hired her as an IT employee to make Drake the VP of Technology." He said.

"So, I assume that your reason for believing this to be a serial murder case being-"

"Yes, it's because I was very fond of each of the victims, more than most of my other employees."

Hue nodded, making mental notes of all of this.

He only had one more question for President Ross.

"I just have one more question for you, before I'll have everything I need, Mr. Ross." He said. "I'd like to know what happened recently to focus so much media attention on you."

"I'll let my daughter answer that one." President Ross smiled as he turned towards Ethel.

"Ethel, why don't you tell him?"

"Well…" She said. "Hue, as I've told you before, both my mother and father often leave the gym to challenge the Elite 4 and Champion. What you might not know yet is that just the other month, Dad _succeeded_."

If Hue had been drinking anything, he would have done a spit-take.

Ethel Ross, this elegant and formal girl that Hue got along so well with was the daughter of a Gym Leader...and the Champion of the Indigo Area.

Hue didn't know whether that fact, or the fact that he had just had a serious meeting with the Champion about a murder case was more unbelievable.

"I can't take all the credit of course." Champion Ross said. "I owe it all to the pokemon that I've trained and caught."

He stood up.

"Well, Hue Swanson. It's been fun chatting with you, but now, I'd love to know which of my VPs you think was the culprit behind these killings."

Aura, who has just been goofing around by the window the whole time let out a laugh.

"Oh come on. Give Huey a little credit Mr. Ross!" She said. "He's figured out the _real_ culprit by now! It only took me a look at the list of victims and witnesses to determine it."

"While that is the very _last_ tone that I would use while talking to both the CEO of Silph Co. and Champion of the Indigo area, Aura is indeed correct."

"Aura?" Mr. Ross raised an eyebrow.

"As in Aura Jones, the one that ran away from the Fight Dojo?"

"That's been settled." Aura's expression turned serious.

"Of course it has." Mr. Ross smiled. "Forgive me Miss Jones, I just wanted to clarify that it was you. You looked familiar but since you weren't wearing a hakama, I just couldn't be sure."

He turned back to Hue.

"So, I take it from Miss Jones's comment that you're aware that not a single one of my VPs is behind this attack?"

"You're aware as well?" Hue asked, confused.

"Of course I am." Champion Ross held out his arms. "It's my company. I'm fully aware of all that goes on in it. I also already know the true culprit behind everything, but I hope you're okay with me playing Devil's advocate for you. Consider it a game, to see how well you can piece things together."

"Alright." Hue smiled, ready to accept that challenge.

Before he answered, he rethought over everything he knew.

The shiv used in the murders contained trace amounts of blood from each victim.

All jackets must be placed in the cubby upon entry without exception.

Political intrigue is high in Silph Co.

Only 1 Janitor's Card Key exists, and that Card Key was in its usual spot when Gregory Church arrived and discovered the body of Curtis Duke.

Janitors were allowed in the building 24-7.

Employees are allowed in starting at 7, and the general public is allowed in starting at 9.

Church starts his Janitorial duties on 11F.

The double doors on 1F are the only way in and out of the building.

No bloodstains containing blood from any of the victims were found.

Duke(Janitor) was the first to die, followed by Collier(researcher), and finally, Drake(IT employee).

The security footage for the double doors on 1F during the week of the murder had been deleted entirely.

Finally, Champion Ross was closely connected to all three victims, and their deaths were a hinderance for any plans he may have had for the future.

"With the knowledge I've acquired…" Hue said as he began to play the Unlimited Corners theme on his pokedex.

Although the person he was accusing wasn't present, he still pointed to where a witness stand would be if this office was a courtroom.

"I hereby request that Landan Callahan be arrested on account of serial murder!"

"Interesting." Champion Ross grinned.

Aura winked at Hue.

With that, Hue knew he was right. Aura had always taken a bit of a back seat when it came to these things. The fact that she was so quick to volunteer talking to Callahan had Hue suspicious from the start, but the evidence he had come across during the investigation only increased his suspicions.

"Let's start with our first victim...Curtis Drake." Hue said. "He's the night shift manager, and he'd have his Janitor Card Key with him as he cleaned the building. Chances are that he stumbled across Callahan doing something that he shouldn't have been doing, considering employees like Callahan wouldn't normally have a reason to stay late.

"And what, pray tell, do you think Callahan was doing?"

Hue thought about it.

He had a small hunch, and no concrete evidence for it, but it made sense given the circumstances.

"I propose that Callahan was sneaking around Hardin and Collier's research laboratory. His goal, as he's told me, is to become the next VP of Technology, so I'm fairly certain that impressing you with some research notes that Hardin and Collier had yet to reveal to you would be a great way to increase his chances at earning that position."

"True, but Hardin and Collier are researchers so there's no guarantee that they would have anything to do with technology."

"Objection!" Hue yelled. "Hardin and Collier's research falls right into the Technology department. After all, I bet the pokeballs around your waist right now were made from some material that Hardin and Collier proposed. Their work was researching the most effective pokeball materials! That's technological advancements if I've ever heard of it!"

"Very well…" Champion Ross said. "Then explain to me this…"

He still had his sunglasses on, but Hue could feel this man staring him in the eyes.

"What happened to the blood?"

"Be patient." Hue retaliated. "I'll get to that after I get to the other subjects. I want to establish a clear motive for each one. Let's progress, in order, to Percy Collier. Collier, according to Hardin, instantly knew who was behind the murder of Curtis Duke. It stands to reason that he would call that person to his office for a talk of sorts, in order to ascertain the truth before going to the police, but something happened to stop Collier from doing that…

When Callahan arrived in Collier's research room, he killed him.

"I hope you realize how flimsy that argument sounds…"

"It makes sense when you realize that the shiv used to slit the victim's throats came from the research lab." Hue held up the shiv.

"Take that!"

Sure enough, on the shiv's small handle were the words 'Silph Co. Research Labs'.

"Now, obviously no one _from_ the research labs would think to use this to kill anybody." Hue said. "It would paint a target too wide on their backs. That's why Callahan used it. He was trying to pin the blame on Percy or Hardin, but Percy saw through this, and paid the price."

"And I suppose you'll explain the disappearance of his blood later too?" Champion Ross asked with a cocky smile.

"Right after we talk about the most important murder of them all. The one that Lee Callahan had enough time to plan and execute, and the one where he made his biggest mistake."

"Ha!" Champion Ross let out a laugh.

"I like this kid." He said to Ethel. "You make sure he keeps at this alright?"

He turned back to Hue. "Enlighten me."

"Ella Drake, as you've stated numerous times, was to become the new VP of Technology. Landan Callahan, competing for the same position, most likely knew this, as such, his final act of villainy would be to take her out of the competition for promotion permanently, after all, political intrigue is high here, so the possibility of promotion to a VP is quite the lucrative motive. During questioning he told Aura that he planned to meet up with Drake during their lunch break on 6F, but he ended up skipping out on her, and I'll return to that later as well, but let's keep going for now. Eventually their shifts started up again, and Drake never returned, so, once his shift was over Callahan went to 6F, where he allegedly found drake's body. Here is where his biggest mistake comes in…"

"Which is?"

"Rigor mortis." Hue said. "He claimed that Drake's body had not yet been affected by it, which was a _complete_ lie. Now I don't work here, but I'm fairly sure that the shifts are longer than two hours. I'm sure some last even longer than six hours. Rigor mortis sets in two to six hours after death, starting with the head and working its way down the body.

From this we can conclude…"  
Hue pointed triumphantly.

"That Landan Callahan's testimony and the evidence contradict each other!"

"So, what was Callahan lying about that causes this contradiction?"

"Callahan was lying about what he actually did that day…" Hue said, crossing his arms and closing his eyes, imitating Ethel.

"He probably answered that rigor mortis hadn't set in yet, because when he was checking Drake's body, it was to make _sure_ she wouldn't be getting back up again. I personally believe that Callahan really _did_ go into the break room on 6F that day, in order to kill Drake.

Champion Ross nodded.

"Are you going to explain the blood now?" He asked.

"One last thing first." Hue replied. "The reason why Callahan hasn't been caught is because he was the one who deleted all the security footage."

Champion Ross raised an eyebrow.

Hue continued.

"Callahan, as an IT employee, likely knew how all the machines in the building worked, allowing him for something that normally only Janitors had the privilege of: unrestricted access.

He could easily enter each room without the use of a Janitor Card Key, which is why, when he killed Curtis Duke, he took the Janitor Card Key and placed it back in it's spot, to fool the next Janitor on duty into thinking that nothing had happened."

"Now hold on…" Champion Ross said. "Curtis Duke's body was found on 9F. What made Gregory Church the first to discover the body? On average it takes about two hours to clean 5 floors. He would have only been up to 6f by the time employees on on 9F would arrive and discover the body."

"Objection!" Hue yelled. "Gregory Church begins his Janitorial duties on floor 11F and works his way down. This means that it's entirely possible for him to be the first to discover Duke's body."

"Interesting." Champion Ross stated again. "It would seem Callahan would have the ability to delete the security footage and gain unrestricted access without the use of a Janitor Card Key. But now that you've answered every other question, you need to tell me…"

"I need to tell you that you need a new system for storing your coats and jackets." Hue said.

He handed Champion Ross the coat of Gregory Church.

"I thought this smelled familiar, but only recently did I realize it." Hue said. "This coat smells like blood, and the collar's been stained with it as well. I originally thought it might have been neck sweat but…"

Hue held up his pokedex to show a picture he had requested from Freddie.

There were bloodstained jackets everywhere in the cubby, but three in particular towards the bottom took the cake.

"I think I don't need to tell you that those three heavily bloodstained jackets belong to the victims." Hue said.

"The killer used the victim's own jackets to wipe up their blood." Hue smiled. "Because they know that no matter what, others will put their coats in the cubby, and ultimately help him clean the crime's aftermath."

Hue sighed.

Champion Ross clapped. "Well, well, good for you, young detective." He smiled.

"It would seem that you've solved the mystery. With all this evidence, Callahan can finally be formally arrested. I look forward to seeing your participation in the Pokemon League Tournament as well. I'm sure you will not disappoint me."

He stretched back in his chair.

"Now if you don't mind, I'd like some time to myself. Please leave."

"Father…" Ethel said. "Don't you think he deserves some sort of compensation for humoring you in your little game?"

"Of course, of course…" Champion Ross said as he fiddled around in his desk and took it out.

He tossed it to Hue.

"Here you are. It's the last one we're giving away this year, so feel lucky."

Hue felt incredibly lucky.

He had just received a Master Ball.

Hue, Aura and Freddie had to part ways with Ethel, Diane, and Donovan for a short while, as Ethel and Diane still wanted to explore the city, and Donovan wanted to re-challenge Will...again.

Freddie also wanted to do that, but decided he would participate in the Celadon cooking contest first, and Aura was in a pretty large hurry to get out of Saffron.

Hue didn't blame her.

"I'm sorry that you had to go through all that…" He said as they walked towards Celadon City.

"I know that returning to that city must have been hard for you."

 _I never want to see you that sad again_. He thought.

"I'll be fine." Aura sighed, relieved to be out of there. "I'm glad I could shed the hakama clothing, and I don't ever have to go back there thanks to you, so...thank you."

"You'll be alright?" Hue asked.

 _I never want to see you that sad again._

"Of course!" Aura smiled. "After all, I've got you to annoy, Huey!"

They walked for a little while longer before Aura finally asked it.

"Hey, what about you? There was a moment there during our investigation of Silph Co...I'm just wondering if you're going to be alright too?"

"Of course I'll be alright." Hue smiled at her.

 _I have to be._ He thought. _No matter what._ If he told her how much pain his head was in right now, she'd have that sad look again. Hue didn't know why he felt so determined by it, but the thought remained in his mind.

"Aura…" He said.

"Huey?" Aura asked, cheerfully.

Hue smiled and shook his head. "Never mind."

 _I never want to see you that sad again_.


	35. Good Eeveening

Chapter 35:

Good Eeveening

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Aqua Tail, Water Pulse

Ace(Pidgeotto): Mud-Slap, Quick Attack, Roost, Twister

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Arthur(Kirlia): Confusion, Disarming Voice, Magical Leaf, Heal Pulse

Venus(Weepinbell): Poison Powder, Acid, Slam, Razor Leaf

Bruce(Hitmonlee): Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

It was not the nightmarish dream Hue was used to.

It was a calm dream, which he found strange.

He was sitting, under a shock blanket, next to a girl obscured by the harsh sunlight.

She no longer had the doll, but Hue almost knew that she was the Dragonite Girl.

"One day…" Hue said. "We'll both be trainers, right?"

"Yeah." The girl gave a nod.

"Then, one day, we'll go out and catch you a real one. It'll be bigger than your doll but I bet it will be more fun to cuddle with."

"I'd love that." The girl said.

Hue felt her lean her head on his shoulder.

Despite having been jailed in that building for no one knew how long, she still smelled rather lovely, and almost familiar.

Hue wouldn't have minded staying like that for forever, but that's when his mother and the man who he would soon learn was his soon to be friend Donovan's father arrived.

"My son!" Hue's mom called out, sobbing tears of joy. "My baby boy is alive! Oh, thank Arceus!"

"Mom!" Hue ran up to his mother, the first familiar face he had seen in a long time.

"Are you okay, honey? You aren't hurt anywhere?"

"I'm...okay mom…" Hue said.

"Is there anything you want or need right now, sweetie, I promise I'll make it happen!"

Hue brought his mom back to the girl, still waiting under her own shock blanket.

"I helped this girl escape." He said. "Mom...I know that when Dad got sick I said I didn't want to, but I've changed my mind. I want to be a pokemon trainer! A really strong one! I want to be a pokemon trainer so strong that I can catch a Dragonite to replace this girl's lost doll!"

Hue turned and smiled. "Don't worry Dragonite girl! I've made my promise! I'll become a strong tainer and catch a real Dragonite for you!"

"Swanson...you and your son need to go." An Officer Jenny said.

"C'mon sweetie." his mom said, as she began to tug hue towards a boat.

"Wait!" The girl called out.

She held out a pair of small black-framed glasses.

"I'm sorry that your blue ones were broken." She said. "But I personally think black framed ones look better on you anyway."

Hue found himself blushing and thanking the Dragonite girl.

"Hey…, before you go, what's your name?" She asked.

Finally, Hue thought. He'd tell her _his_ name, and then he'd learn the name of _her_.

Before he could answer, Hue's eyes were forced open.

"Huey…" Aura sang in Hue's face. "You'll want to see this…"

While Hue had certainly grown increasingly fond of Aura, he did find these breaches of personal space to be a bit much, even for her.

She was acting like some sort of miracle was occurring.

"Look outside and you'll see what I'm talking about." She smiled.

"Since you so rudely woke me up from what was a surprisingly peaceful slumber, this better be good…"

Hue reached over and picked up his glasses case and stared at it for about a minute.

"Huey?" Aura asked. "Do you want to see the bundles of pure happiness outside or not?"

"Oh, no I do…" Hue said, getting a little flustered. "It's just that...I had a different type of dream last night."

Aura blushed and looked away.

"I guess you're just at that age Huey. I don't know what to say."

"Not _that_ different type of dream." Hue said. "It was like the recurring nightmares only...well, for the most part, I thought it was a good dream."

"And it was about your glasses?" Aura jokingly asked as she began to drink a Lemonade.

"Kind of." Hue gave a slight nod.

"I remember that ever since the kidnapping, my glasses had been black framed, but I always thought it was me being subconsciously depressed. It turns out that I'm wearing them because the first girl I ever liked thought they looked better on me than the blue framed ones I wore before the kidnapping."

Aura did a spit-take.

"What was that about?" Hue asked.

"Oh, nothing." Aura gave a confident smirk. "It's just that you're so oblivious, I thought that you wouldn't have ever had a crush before!"

"Okay, okay," Hue said backing away before he would be further insulted. "I'm looking out the window now."

Hue looked out the window.

"Oh my Arceus, it's a miracle…" He said.

"Right?" Aura agreed, excited. She began to pull on Hue's collar.

"Huey...I want one."

"Well, there's plenty of them, so I doubt you'll have trouble finding one."

"Give me Bruce."

Hue looked at Bruce's pokeball, and then held it back from Aura.

"I want one too."

"If you want them, all you have to do is catch them." Freddie said from his bed.

"Catch them with your bare hands, I mean. That's why they're all out there. It's the Eve of Eevee, guys, c'mon."

Hue shook his head.

"I do not know what that is."

"Oh!" Aura perked up. "Is it anything like The Running of the Tauros?"

"A little bit?" Freddie replied in a question format. "You got letting a crap-ton of a single species of pokemon run wild in the city correctly, but the goal here is to catch the Eevee without help from any pokemon."

"So we just throw pokeballs until we catch one?" Hue asked. "Like the Safari zone without rocks or bait?"

"Not exactly…" Freddie grinned. "When I said bare hands...I meant that was _how_ you need to catch the Eevee. You can use bait and rocks and what-not, but pokemon are a big no-no.

Once you have your Eevee in your hands, you book it to the Rocket Game Corner to stamp the Eevee adoption papers."

"So...all these Eevee come from the Rocket Game Corner?" Aura's eyes narrowed.

"That's right." Freddie nodded.

"All the Eevee are rescue pokemon from abusive trainers and dangerous habitats in the wild. The Rocket Game Corner just started hosting this event a few years ago. It's a way for trainers to meet and rescue various Eevee."

Hue expected Aura to think that this whole thing was adorable, but she seemed to be heavily thinking about something else, going by the sullen look on her face.

He wondered what she was thinking about.

"In any case." He said. "It looks like Bruce is not going to be much help for either of us."

Aura gave a nod, she was thinking about something else entirely, Hue could tell.

"You go on ahead." She said, waving a hand.

"I'll catch up when I'm done here."

Hue knew something was wrong, but he also knew prying into it would be a waste of both Aura's and his own time.

"Alright then." Hue said as he left the room.

"Alright then." He smiled. "Time to catch an Eevee!"

The first Eevee Hue saw was curled up in a ball by a fountain, presumably napping after having taken a drink.

He slowly walked towards the Eevee, careful not to wake it.

Little did he know that the area around the Eevee was incredibly wet, and just as he was about to reach out for the Eevee, he misstepped and fell over flat on his butt, causing the Eevee to perk up and begin running away.

"No!" Hue called, getting up.

"You get back here! You're the one I want!" He yelled as he tried to run after it, but fell, this time on his chest.

The pokedex he had been keeping in his pocket fell out, and music began playing.

The Benny Hill Theme.

"Agh, dammit!" Hue complained aloud as he picked up his pokedex blasting the music, making every Eevee he came near start to run away startled.

"I can't...turn it...off!" He realized with horror as he tried to press every button on his pokedex.

"Wow…" Deus's voice rang throughout his skull.

"Sucks to be you right now."

"You cause me great mental pain every time you open your mouth!" Hue shouted towards the top of his head. "Do you really think now is the time to comment on my misfortune?"

"There's an Eevee over there, near those bushes." Deus said in a tone that reminded Hue of Aura's speech pattern.

"I see it!" He said, noticing the Eevee.

Hue began to run towards the bushes, with his arms outstretched.

"You know, Deus…" He said. "We could probably catch an Eevee if you just helped me move as fast as you made me go back in the Fight Dojo…"

"I can't do that." Deus replied. "I keep telling you this, but it appears I need to re-ittarate. I am, in essence, just another one of your pokemon."

"Haaaaaaagh!" Hue lept towards the Eevee, which jumped out of the way just in time, and Hue took a tumble through the bushes.

"Owww…." He said, shaking the dizziness out of him.

"I landed on something a lot softer than the concrete walkways though…"

"Get... off!" Hue felt himself being pushed back a sizeable distance.

"Sorry!" He said, giving a quick bow and jumping over whomever that person was as he noticed another Eevee at the end of the path.

"I'm gonna get this one!" He said as he ran towards it.

The person who had just gotten accidentally sat on grabbed Hue's ankle, and tripped him

They then began to run towards the Eevee.

"I said I was sorry, asshat!" Hue yelled, incredibly upset at this misfortune, and the migraine Deus's laughter was causing.

The person turned around for a slight moment to give Hue the finger, and then ran off after the Eevee.

"I could probably catch one if this thing wasn't playing such a loud and faced-paced song!" Hue complained as he wandered around Celadon looking for Eevee while also trying to fix his pokedex.

"You should try seeing if- oh, nevermind." Deus said.

Hue gave a sighing grunt.

"If you don't have anything to suggest, then don't talk."

"I had multiple suggestions." Deus argued. "They just all involved the use of pokemon, so I don't think any of them will be much help."

"To fix my pokedex?!" Hue asked, astonished. "I can use pokemon to fix a pokedex! I just can't use any to help me catch an Eevee!"  
"But, wouldn't fixing your pokedex help you catch an Eevee?"

"The more you talk, the more I wish you felt my pain." Hue rolled his, eyes, which, thanks to Deus's abstinence, were not moving in a fast pace or making it easier for Hue to catch an Eevee.

"There's one!" Hue pointed to an Eevee that he saw in front of the Pokemon Center.

"Haaaaarrrrgggh!" He leapt for it, and once again, the Eevee jumped out of the way,

though this specific Eevee jumped directly into someone's arms.

"Huey!" Aura chimed, seemingly back to her usual self, as she hugged the Eevee that had accidentally jumped into her arms.

"You really went all out-helping me obtain my Eevee, huh?" She smiled.

"Aura..., please..., fix it…" Hue pleaded between breaths as he handed Aura his pokedex.

"What happened to this thing?" Aura asked.

"Did you drop it or something?"

"Yeah, it fell out of my pocket when I fell…" Hue nodded.

"Well, you really should read the manual for these things." She said as she pressed a sequence of buttons.

Absolutely nothing happened.

Aura handed the pokedex back to Hue with a smile.

"You didn't do anything."

"It's working perfectly fine." Aura chimed with a smile. "Now, if you don't mind…"

She began to run towards the Rocket Game Corner. "I have an Eevee to adopt!"

"Noooo!" Hue fell to his knees.

"I'm never going to get an Eevee, am I?" He asked no one in particular.

"I wouldn't sell yourself short just yet." Freddie said, appearing in the doorway of the pokemon center.

"I may not really want an Eevee, but I can't just let them be chased around all day without anything to eat, so I whipped up this special pokemon food for Eevees all by myself."

He brought out a tray of pokemon food and set it down on the ground.

"Now, we set your pokedex near the food." Freddie instructed Hue.

Hue put his pokedex down near the pokemon food.

"Now we wait." Freddie pointed at an Eevee that was slowly approaching the food dish.

"Sometimes, the only thing you need to do is be patient." Hue smiled, realizing the trick to this success.

"That's not what I was going for at all…" Freddie said.

Hue looked up at him from the ground.

"What were you going for?"

Freddie grinned and put a spatula to his mouth like a microphone.

"Whether it's people or pokemon, the easiest way to win their love is through food."

He pointed to the Eevee now eating off of the plate.

"Observe. The Eevee has now become accustom to the music that your pokedex is playing."

"Freddie, you can be really smart sometimes." Hue said, meaning it as a compliment.

Freddie clearly didn't know what to make of it.

"I thought I was smart all the time…" He mumbled to the side.

"Anyway…" He raised his voice so that Hue would hear.

"The Eevee is too full of food to run away now." He said. "Though, it's entirely possible that if you scooped some food up, you'd be able to get the Eevee to come to you."

Hue did as Freddie instructed, and sure enough, the Eevee eventually walked to his grasp.

He picked it up.

It was a girl Eevee.

Upon closer inspection, Hue realized that this Eevee's left eartip was missing.

"That means that this Eevee was feral when they found it." Freddie pointed to the missing eartip.

"Hey girl!" Hue smiled. "I'm Hue! And I'll be your new trainer! I'm not sure if you've ever had a trainer before, but I promise that this family is a fun one to be a part of!"

"Eevee!" The Eevee barked as it wagged its tail.

"See?" Freddie gestured. "The easiest way to win their love is through food. With that in mind…"

He began to walk away from Hue, and he began to wave goodbye.

"Keep that in mind when you're parading Aura around the Celadon Cooking Contest in a few days!"

Hue could feel the color appear on his face, but he quickly shook Freddie's fake-out attempt.

"Where are you going?" Hue asked.

"Gym!" Freddie replied. "I want to at least _defeat_ this town's gym leader after I lost to Will, and I'll need to go back to Saffron for the next Cooking Contest after this upcoming one anyway, so there's no reason to head back there right now anyway."

"Good luck!" Hue called.

"You too!" Freddie called back, before he disappeared into the city.

"There we go, good as new." the receptionist at the Rocket Game Corner said as she fixed Hue's pokedex. "Catching an Eevee must have been very difficult with this music playing the entire time."

"Oh, no, I just needed to be patient is all." Hue chuckled as he stamped official papers, adopting the Eevee that he had decided to name Espella.

"Espella huh?" Aura asked with a chime as she appeared out of nowhere, scaring the shit out of Hue.

"Espella!" Aura said, paying the frightened Hue no mind. "Meet your new brother Sirius!"

The Eevees greeted each other with glee.

"And here are their pokeballs." The receptionist said as she handed Hue and Aura each a pokeball.

The two both returned their Eevees which were both instantly enveloped in a light before disappearing.

Hue's pokedex began ringing.

"[Espella] the [Eevee] has been sent to [Professor Oak's Laboratory]." Dean stated in his robotic voice.

"Right." Hue nodded.

"I'll to have to start getting used to that…"

"So will I…" Aura said, her eyes widening, as she realized that she now had more pokemon than she could keep with her at any given time.

After a minute of strange silence, Aura finally spoke up again.

"Say, Huey, if we both go to sleep at around now,...do you think maybe you can meet me right here really early in the morning tomorrow?"

"I don't approve of my sleep schedule being disrupted like this." Hue said sternly. "But I suppose so, as long as you tell me what it's about."

The second Aura's face changed to her alluring yet intimidating piercing eyes, Hue knew what she was going to say, and he hated that she was going to say it. He knew how she got in these situations and had managed to keep her out of them for a really long time, but the second she got that look on her face, Hue knew what the words to come out of Aura's mouth would be.

"I'm sure NTR is here, I'm going to track them down, and I want you to come with me."


	36. Chandler

Chapter 36:

Chandler

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Aqua Tail, Water Pulse

Espella(Eevee): Sand-Attack, Swift, Take-Down, Covet

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Arthur(Kirlia): Confusion, Disarming Voice, Magical Leaf, Heal Pulse

Venus(Weepinbell): Poison Powder, Acid, Slam, Razor Leaf

Bruce(Hitmonlee): Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

Hue decided, before going to bed, to bring Espella on board the team in place of Ace. If he and Aura were going to sneak around a building in the middle of the night, then the last thing he wanted to bring was some bird that wouldn't be able to fly around much anyway.

"There you are." Aura said as she hurriedly walked up to Hue as he slowly arrived at the Rocket Game Corner.

It was really late at night, and there didn't seem to be anyone inside.

"What makes you think NTR is even here?" Hue asked, hoping to both get a real answer from Aura and to keep her occupied while he thought of something to say that would get her to stop behaving so obsessively.

"The old Team Rocket used this game corner as a front while they partook in criminal activities in its basement." Aura answered as she pulled a still reluctant Hue into the building.

"NTR is probably doing the same thing. Eevee is supposed to be a rare species of pokemon." She said.

"There's no way that there are enough Eevee in the world that letting them run wild like that doesn't have some sort of suspicious work behind it."

The only one acting suspicious at all right now was Aura.

"You're the one who's acting the most suspicious right now." Hue said.

Aura put a finger to her lips.

"Shhhh!" She shushed him. "We need to be quiet."

She tilted her head towards the corner of the building.

There were two people talking in front of a poster.

"Yeah!" One of them said. "And apparently the entire plan went to ashes, all because of this team of kids!"

"Yeah…" The other nodded. "And this all happened in Lavender Town a few months ago?"

"Just over two months ago." The first confirmed.

"Chandler was so furious that he sold everyone involved in that project to the police."

"Yeah, well, better those guys then us, right?" The second looked on the brighter side.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." The first chuckled.

"Alright." The second said as he took out a pokeball, tossed it in the air, and caught it.

"Let's head down to the basement through the secret staircase and report to the big man himself."

"Alright." The first one noded back as he fiddled with poster on the wall, and the floor opened up into a staircase leading down into a much more brightly lit room than Hue would have imagined a secret base for criminal activity to be.

"Okay, you're right." Hue whispered to Aura without looking. "Let's go report this to the police and let them-"

He turned and noticed that Aura was no longer next to him, and instead was running towards the two NTR grunts.

"Aura, stop it!"

He yelled as he quickly ran after her.

The two grunts turned, and quickly sent out both their pokemon.

"Koffing!"

"Koffing!"

Aura began to send out her own pokemon.

"Go, Ko-"

"Stop!" Hue grabbed her wrist as he caught up with her and got in between her and the NTR grunts.

"Let go of me!" She screamed.

Hue could see the look in her eyes.

There was bloodlust in them.

She was dangerous when she got like this.

"Let me battle them with you at least." He said, calmly, still holding his ground.

"I can do it myself." Aura grunted.

Hue wished he knew what Aura was going through.

The only loved one that he ever lost was lost to illness, and not a criminal syndicate.

But he needed to do something to minimize the damage that Aura would both receive and dish out.

"I know that you _can_ do it by yourself." He said. "But that doesn't mean i'll let you."

 _I won't let you become this upset_.

"We'll battle them as partners."

For a split second, it seemed as though Aura's eyes were returning to their usual unnerving piercy-ness, and losing any malicious intent.

"There's the Aura I know." Hue smiled.

"Are you absolutely _sure_?" A sinister yet familiar voice asked.

"Smokescreen!" Both grunts called as both their Koffings let out a gargantuan amount of smoke.

Hue and Aura both began to cough.

"Miss Jones, I see you are still toting Subject 4 around with you." The voice continued to speak.

"I'm starting to wonder if you might be trying to live up to your brother's dying message _and_ take revenge on his murderer at the same time. That isn't fair to Subject 4 you know. If you really want your revenge _that_ badly, you shouldn't let him slow you down on that path."

"I don't know what he's talking about, but don't listen to him Aura!" Hue said through multiple thick coughs due to the smoke. "You're better than some murderous monster!"

"Subject 4, I'm getting impatient with you." The voice addressed Hue. "You're my favorite player, but you haven't been making any moves! You've just been letting Miss Jones call all her shots, and that's no fun! There must be something you want out of all of this…"

He was trying to make it sound like Hue had an ulterior motive for traveling with Aura.

That was, in a sense, true. After all, Hue had accepted her proposal way back in Viridian because he simply didn't want to travel by himself, and was too nervous to ask anyone else.

However, he'd met enough people that he didn't _need_ to travel with Aura anymore, and he'd still probably always be able to walk a few hundred yards and run into a familiar face.

The reason he was still with her right now was…

"We're partners." Hue stated, stalwartly as possible due to the smoke making him cough with every breath.

"We support each other through thick and thin, and I wouldn't trade Aura for the world."

It was at this moment that Hue was thankful for the smoke everywhere in the building, masking how red his face must have been when he said that.

"Now isn't that sweet?" The voice chided.

"Crobat, Defog."

The smoke cleared, and standing in the stairway was the man from Mt. Moon, the man from Hue's dreams.

The man with the icy blue eyes, with a crazed look.

His face and body were still obscured in shadow, and he was wearing a trenchcoat and a large makeshift hood, so that when he turned around, Hue still wouldn't be able to make out any facial features other than the icy blue eyes.

Their look was more dangerous than bloodlust.

They had the look of utmost insanity, and a zealous desire for something.

Something this man felt was very near his grasp, given the expressions that the eyes were giving off.

"So, Subject 4." The man said. "Let's put what you just said to the test."

Hue looked around, and realized that Aura was nowhere to be found.

He suddenly felt six years old again, a similar dread giving way to his mind.

He was alone right now.

He had been left alone.

What would happen if he never saw Aura again? He wouldn't want to partner up with someone else to replace her, but he didn't want to be alone for forever either. Would his days as a trainer come to an end.

"Get a grip Hue." Deus's voice rang in his head.

That was enough. Hue had someone with him. He began to think clearly and instantly knew what to do.

"Aura?" He shouted, frantically.

"Aura!?"

"Huey!" Aura called back from below.

"Ooh, we ought to catch up to her!" The man gave a small hum. "After all, I'm sure she's _dying_ to see you."

The way he said _dying_ …

"It was you wasn't it?" Hue asked.

"You're the one who killed Aura's brother. You killed Phineas Jones, your Subject 1."

"I think you might be mistaken." The man said.

He took out a pokeball and sent it out.

"Mewtwo here was responsible for Subject 1's death. Well, mental death anyway. As I'm sure you realized in Lavender Town, the pokemon has completely taken over the body to use as its own vessel."

"Then...you're…"

"Indeed." The man's eyes stared intently at Hue.

"My name is Chandler, and I am the boss of Neo Team Rocket. And now, follow me."

He walked down a hallway, that got progressively more noisy with loud screams.

"Aura!" Hue shouted in retaliation, realizing that they belonged to her. "Hang on, I'm coming!"

"As I stated before…"

Chandler began to say as Hue entered the room where Aura was being held.

Aura was behind an iron door in a chamber of glass.

She was banging on it as hard as she could, and motioned to Hue to reach for her pokeballs, which had been placed on a tray on the counter.

"Arrgh!" Hue yelled as he ran towards them.

"Deus!" He called. "I need to be fast!"

"On it." Deus replied in his head.

Hue zipped passed the NTR Scientist that was at the counter as he grabbed Aura's pokemon.

"Go!" He yelled.

"Bruce!"

"Hitmonlee!" Bruce called out, ready to fight.

"Break that glass!"

"Lee!" Bruce shot his spring-loaded leg at the glass chamber.

He then proceeded to recoil in sharp pain as the glass took no discernable damage whatsoever.

"It's no use I'm afraid." Chandler said as Mewtwo extended its paw, and a Psychic force instantly knocked Bruce out, and lifted Hue up into the air.

"Agh…" Hue struggled.

"Now then, let's revisit what you said earlier." Chandler smirked. "You say you wouldn't trade Miss Jones for the world. In that case, I present to you…"

Chandler nodded at the NTR Scientist in the lab who pressed a button on the desk, causing an entire wall to fall down.

Behind it were three more glass containers.

"Danger!" Was the only thing Hue could hear Deus saying as he looked at what lay behind each case.

"Articuno...Zapdos...Moltres…" Chandler walked by as he counted them.

"The three legendary bird pokemon of destruction, all at full power, and all so very upset at being cooped up in these cages for so long."

Hue could feel it in the emotions of the three legendary birds. They were _angry_. They didn't care what, but _something_ needed to be destroyed.

"And now…" Chandler said. "Let's present you with your choice."

He turned to the NTR Scientist.

"Release the Poison Gas."

"R-right." The NTR Scientist nodded as he pressed another button.

Instantly, cans of gas rolled into Aura's container, as well as into the containers of all the legendary birds.

"Both your beloved partner and my birds will share the same fate." Chandler said, as Mewtwo released its psychic grip on Hue.

"If you-"  
Before Chandler could finish, Hue had already made a beeline for the button to stop the gas and open the containers.

Aura was on the floor in hers.

Instantly, each of the legendary birds flew out of their container and through the ceiling to the Celadon Night Sky.

"Aura!" Hue yelled as he ran to her.

He held her in his arms and listened.

His heart started to beat a little more relaxed.

She was breathing.

She was breathing.

Hue gently lay Aura down against the wall, safely outside the case and turned to face Chandler.

"He didn't even listen to what you had to say." The NTR Scientist snickered. "It looks like he's intent to play S-"

Chandler gave the Scientist a look.

"I mean... _Miss Jones's_ puppet." The Scientist defended himself.

"You're wrong." Hue said, now absolutely furious.

"I am nobody's puppet."

Bruce began to stand up from the ground.

"That's!" The Scientist recognized it.

"That's Koichi's Hitmonlee!"

He turned to Chandler.

"I thought Koichi was your trump card!"

"He was supposed to be." Chandler smirked. "But I didn't expect Miss Jones to give in and allow a premature visit to Saffron City. It certainly messed my game plan up."

"I don't care about you or about your stupid game." Hue said.

"But you tried to take a very important person away from me, and…"

Hue looked directly into Chandler's eyes.

"You should _remember_ what happens when you try to take a very important person away from me."

Hue held out his hand.

"Deus?" He asked inside his mind. "You there?"

"I'm...here…" Deus said, coughing. "I was busy taking the brunt of that psychic attack from the Mewtwo. If that had hit you directly, you'd be on the floor with Aura and at Chandler's mercy right now."

"Do you have enough power to fight?" Hue asked.

"It will hurt." Deus replied.

"It will hurt more than anything I've aided you with so far."

"That's fine." Hue said. "You're a legendary pokemon of some species, and although neither one of us knows which one, I'd like to think that you know moves, like any other pokemon."

"That's right." Deus replied.

"Then I need a powerful attack, to send a message."

"Brace yourself." Deus said. "This will hurt a lot."

Hue braced himself.

"You want me to make a move in this 'game' you keep talking about." He said, directly to Chandler. "Well then, here it is. I'll announce what I plan to do. I'm going to take you down so that Aura doesn't have to be tied down by her negative feelings of revenge."

Hue thought of the intense anger he saw in her eyes earlier that night.

That face of angry bloodlust covering an overwhelming sadness…

The face he hated seeing, knowing he could have prevent it if he had only taken more action.

"She will never make _that face_ again!"

Instantly, a searing pain shot through his entire body, as he felt some sort of blast of energy leave his hand.

"Holy Shit!" The Scientist yelled.

Hue's ears began to ring.

He thought he was going to cough up all his insides, and then die of blood loss. He was 90 percent sure that he had just gotten multiple concussions, and was 100% sure that his right arm, the arm he had used for the blast, was broken.

He had trouble believing that the giant hole in the wall, leading up and out to Celadon was created solely by whatever Deus had done, but there weren't many other explanations.

"Bruce…" He reached for his Hitmonlee.

"Carry...Aura...out of here…" He managed to say before he lost consciousness.

Bruce picked up both Hue and Aura and booked it out of the Celadon Game Corner.

"Did you see that?" The NCR Scientist said as Chandler descended from a Protect's bubble alongside Mewtwo.

"If Mewtwo had even been a _second_ slower, the two of you would have been blown to smithereens!"

"I'm done with him, Mewtwo." Chandler sighed as he walked towards the glass containers where the legendary birds had been.

"You can kill him."

Chandler smiled and thought about Hue and Aura as the NCR Scientist screamed his final screams in the background.

"Well well Subject 4…" Chandler said. "You've proven me wrong...I had truly thought you'd forgotten the extra DNA I gave you. After your small glasses disintegrated eight years ago, you seemed ready to never use that power again. It seems that liking a girl is enough motive for you to remember as well. I expected you to be less of a sap."

Chandler moved towards a secret escape in the back corner of the room.

"Nevertheless, I look forward to finally playing this game with you, Subject 4." He smirked.

"Come Mewtwo, no playing with the corpses."

"Hmph." The Mewtwo humphed as it followed him, leaving behind a dead NTR Scientist.

"He was an expendable piece anyway." Chandler said as the two walked into the dark passageway.

"Huey! Huey!"

Hue woke up and saw Aura leaning over him.

"Aura?" He asked as he slowly sat up.

Pain was still searing throughout his body.

"Don't do that!" She scolded as she stopped Hue from sitting up any more.

"It's bad enough that you got this hurt looking out for me while I was in…"

She looked away and bit her nail.

" _That state._ " She said bitterly, before she turned back.

"I don't want you over exerting y-"

Aura was cut off as Hue draped his working left arm around her in a tight hug.

"Shut up, and stay here…" He said. "At least until I fall asleep again."

"O-of course…" Aura said, her voice muffled by Hue's shoulder.

She smiled as she rested and relaxed.

"Hey Huey?" She asked.

"Can I be the first person to challenge this city's gym?"

"Of course." Hue smiled. "By the way Aura...I've decided on something important."

"Oh?" She asked. "What is it?"

 _You'll never make that face again_.

"I'm going to personally see to it that Chandler is put behind bars. He's not going to hurt you or anyone close to you anymore. So now instead of avenging your brother, you can listen to his final words to you instead. Catch your pokemon and be happy, please."

 _You won't ever make that face again, because I won't let you._

Aura began to shake.

Hue wasn't sure whether she was crying or laughing, but when she looked into Hue's eyes, he could see it was a mixture of both.

"What is it?" He asked. "What's wrong."

Aura shook her head, and gave a tired yawn.

Hue followed suit.

Before he fell asleep, he realized Aura hadn't answered his question.

"Aura, what's got you acting so weird?"

Aura relaxed even further under Hue's grip.

"You really _are_ oblivious, aren't you Huey?" She smiled.


	37. No Boys Allowed

Chapter 37:

No Boys Allowed

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Aqua Tail, Water Pulse

Espella(Eevee): Sand-Attack, Swift, Take-Down, Covet

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Arthur(Kirlia): Confusion, Disarming Voice, Magical Leaf, Heal Pulse

Venus(Weepinbell): Poison Powder, Acid, Slam, Razor Leaf

Bruce(Hitmonlee): Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

Hue's right arm was indeed broken.

Aura had woken up as soon as Bruce had carried the two of them out of the Rocket Game Corner, which was now on the news.

"Witness reports claim that after the explosion left a hole in the basement previously used as a base by the original Team Rocket, all three legendary birds of destruction flew out into the night sky. As such, investigators believe that the birds were being held captive by the Game Corner, and managed to break free by creating such a hole in the building." The news anchor stated.

"That's not too far off from what actually happened."

Aura said as she walked into the room.

"Really?" Hue asked. "I don't think it's close to what actually happened at all."

"We'll agree to disagree then." Aura chimed as she handed Hue a lemonade.

"I bought a lot of these from the Department store." She said. "Help yourself to as many as you want."

"I think MooMooMilk would be more beneficial in the long run." Hue said as he took the lemonade anyway and began to drink.

All that adrenaline from the previous night had made him extremely thirsty.

"By the way Aura...where are we?"

"We're in the Pokemon Center." Aura smiled. "They have human doctors here too you know."

Hue _didn't_ know that, but supposed it couldn't be helped.

If he was a Hitmonlee, a pokemon center would be the first place he would take his trainer as well.

"How are you feeling?" Aura asked as she sat on the foot of Hue's bed.

"Umm…" Hue thought about his condition, and was deciding on an accurate answer to give when Aura continued.

"Because we don't have enough pokeyen between the two of us to keep you here another knight."

"Arceus, how expensive is this place?" Hue sat upright. "And haven't you ever heard of health insurance?"

"Your insurance expired about two weeks ago." Aura said. "And the pokemon center treats pokemon for free. They have to make money _somehow_ , so when humans pull a _you_ and do something stupid, reckless, and dangerous, they charge a lot of money."

"And we haven't been battling others much very recently…" Hue realized.

The last battle that wasn't a gym battle that he had participated in was when he was battling Koichi in the Fight Dojo back in Saffron City. That was nearly a month ago now.

"So I was thinking…" Aura said. "That we get you out of that bed, and head on over to the Celadon Gym, where I can win myself a badge, and _us_ a bunch of money!"

"That sounds like a plan." Hue nodded as he helped himself out of his bed.

He looked at the cast that his right arm was in.

"What is that?" He asked.

"That's a cast Huey." Aura rolled her eyes.

"No, I mean what is _on_ the cast?" Hue clarified. There was some sort of blue smudge on the cast. Probably left by a marker of some kind.

"Gah!" Aura ran up to Hue's arm. "I thought I got the whole thing!"

She took out a white-out marker and drew over the smudge on Hue's cast.

"You wrote on it? That's not a big deal, people do that all the time…"

"I wrote…" Aura bit her nail and looked away.

"I wrote something I wanted to say, but then decided that It was a bad idea. I'll just tell you what it was later."

"Why not now?" Hue asked.

Aura shook her head. She wanted to tell Hue something important, it was clear that she wanted to tell him as soon as possible but…

"I can't do it while Chandler is still out there." She said. "He'd figure out that you know it, and use it against you in the worst ways possible. So even though I want to tell you, I'm keeping my mouth shut."

"Besides…" Hue stretched the appendages he could stretch.

"I'll probably figure it out for myself eventually anyway."

"Nah." Aura smiled.

"You're too oblivious to figure this one out."

Walking to the Celadon Gym. Hue and Aura saw Freddie, who was heading in the opposite direction, and was dressed as a girl.

"Freddie?" Aura asked, trying her hardest not to laugh.

"Good for you Freddie!" Hue called out. "Don't let society tell you what you can and can't wear!"

"Oh, Arceus damn it…" Freddie grumbled as Aura and Hue walked toward him. "Hi, guys…"

He then noticed Hue's bandaged arm.

"Hue, what the heck happened to you? You were fine when I saw you the other day!"

"I must have fallen down one too many times when chasing the eevee around." Hue shrugged only his left arm.

"But more importantly, why are you dressed like that?"

Freddie took out a badge and tossed it up into the air, before catching it and showing it off to Hue and Aura.

"This little bugger's why I'm dressed like this." Freddie said. "That gym has some major TS going on with it. They're only letting girls in right now."

"Well, that's some Tauros Shit…" Hue scoffed.

"I don't suppose they'll let me in on account of my broken arm will they?"

"I wouldn't count on it." Freddie shook his head. "It _really_ sucks for you, because you can't disguise yourself as a girl as long as you have your arm in that cast."

"Don't remind me…" Hue grumbled.

"We'll never know unless we try." Aura shrugged. "Come along Huey."

The gym itself was a beautiful and aromatic garden, filled with vibrantly colored plants and flowers.

Grass. Hue thought.

This was a Grass Gym.

Between Ace, Gumshoe, and Cooper, he felt as though he had a good shot with this gym. The problem here was getting his challenge accepted...

"Welcome to Celadon Gym!" The woman at the desk in the lobby room smiled.

"Are you here to challenge young miss? You're boyfriend is welcome to watch."

"I'm not her-"

Before Hue could clarify, Aura asked her own question.

"And this is all just hypothetical, but let's say he was the one who wanted to challenge the gym leader…"

"I'm sorry, but from now until the end of June is the Girl's half of the year for challenges." The clerk at the counter said with a smile. "So unless otherwise specified by gym leader Erika herself, I'm afraid we can't accept his challenge."

Hue looked down, feeling sad about it.

If he normally couldn't enter the gym until the end of June, his entire journey would be thrown into disarray. There wouldn't be enough time to head to Celadon from Viridian and then back and then to the Indigo Plateau before the Grand Festival or Pokemon League started, and he didn't want to have to wait until the next year's tournament.

"In any case." Aura said with a smile. "I _am_ here to challenge, and Huey is here to spectate."

"Alright...how many badges have you acquired as of right now?"

"Four badges." Aura chimed.

"Alright." The clerk said as she entered the information into a keyboard.

"This is going to be a 3 on 3 battle, so please enter your name, your hometown, and the pokemon you plan to use against Erika on this piece of paper. It's for the monitor that our gym got as a Christmas present from the League HQ."

"Mm-hm." Aura nodded as she hurriedly started scribbling on the paper.

Hue thought to himself about Aura's pokemon…

Only one of them had a distinct advantage against Grass types…

He was interested to see Aura's strategy when it came to this gym.

Aura handed the filled out paper back to the clerk.

"There you go." She smiled.

"Thank you very much." The clerk nodded and held out her hand to her side.

"Please walk through that doorway over there and get ready.

Hue and Aura walked through the doorway into an even more plant-filled area than the lobby.

"Definitely a Grass Type gym." Hue said.

"You'll have to sit down here." The ref instructed Hue to sit in the bleachers off to the side.

The field was full of lush grass, various flowers blooming all around it.

Aura stood in the challenger's area, and looked Hue's way.

"After I win, where do you want to go for lunch to celebrate the victory?" She winked. "I was thinking Celadon South Restaurant."

"Well, first you have to actually win." Hue replied.

Aura smiled and turned back towards Erika.

"Shouldn't be too hard." She said.

"The match between the challenger, Aura Jones of Saffron City, and the Gym Leader, Erika of Celadon City, will now commence!" The ref said as Aura readied her pokeball. "This will be a 3 on 3 battle. The battle will be over when all of one side's pokemon are no longer able to battle. In addition, only the challenger will be allowed to make substitutions. The battle is for the Rainbow Badge, which would become Aura's 5th badge should she emerge victorious. Trainers, send out your pokemon!"

"Go, Victreebel!" Erika exclaimed. Erika was wearing a floral pattern kimono a lot like the one that Aura had worn in the Cerulean Contest. She didn't seem too elderly, but she was definitely middle-aged. It was clear she was holding onto what youth she had left.

Even though Hue had already scanned a Victreebel before, Aura still lifted her pokedex to scan it again.

"[Victreebel]." Aura's pokedex stated. "The [Flycatcher] Pokemon. Said to live in huge colonies deep in jungles, although no one has ever returned from there."

"Nazono!" Aura yelled as she sent out her Oddish.

"Oddish!" The Oddish chirped.

What the heck was Aura thinking? Nazono had no training, and was surely far weaker than that Victreebel. Hue didn't see what it could accomplish.

Aura winked at Hue. "You'll see why soon, don't worry."

A large picture of Erika's Victreebel and Aura's Oddish appeared on the monitor overlooking the battlefield.

"Battle, Start!" The ref called.

"Nazono, let's start things off with a Lucky Chant!" Aura called.

"Oddish!" Nazono nodded.

"Odd! Odd! Oddish!" It began to dance around reciting some sort of mantra.

"Use Leaf Storm!" Erika yelled.

"Victreebel!" The Victreebel hissed as a large barrage of leaves was shot at Nazono, hitting the pokemon hard.

"Oddish!" Nazono came skidding back to Aura.

"Now, Victreebel!" Erika called out. "Use Leaf Blade!"

"Victree!" The Victreebel screamed as it leapt towards Nazono.

"Now Nazono, counter it with Cut!" Aura retaliated.

"Oddish!" Nazono gave a nod and jumped up towards the Victreebel.

The Leaf Blade and the Cut attack hit each other the same way two swords would hit each other in a sword fight.

Aura grinned.

"Just a little extra power Nazono!" She called out. "Use Tickle!"

"Dish!" Nazono gave a malicious grin and began to tickle the Victreebel with it's leaves until the Flycatcher pokemon was laughing uncontrollably.

"Get a grip, Victreebell!" Erika stated, stalwartly.

"Keep Tickling, Nazono!" Aura called out.

"Victreebel!" Erika yelled. "Don't fool around! Finish it off with a Venoshock!"

The Victreebel, in between laughter, let out a large blob of poison from its mouth, absolutely drenching Nazono.

"Oddish is no long-."  
"Hold on for a second." Aura told the ref.

"And observe." She gestured to Nazono still getting back up.

"Alright Nazono, why don't _you_ finish _it_ off with Natural Gift!" Aura called out as she pointed towards the Victreebel.

"Oddish!" Nazono shouted as she shot a strange beam directly at the Victreebel, which instantly fell over.

"Victreebel is unable to battle. The winner is Oddish!" The ref called out.

"Nazono was holding a Lum Berry." Aura grinned. "Making that a Flying-type attack that Victreebel just took."

"Very clever." Erika nodded at Aura.

"But now you'll have to deal with...Tangela!"

Erika sent out the Tangela.

"With pleasure." Aura returned Nazono into her pokeball, and took out another one.

The picture of Erika's Victreebel became a dark shade with a red X over it, while Aura's oddish simply faded into the dark shade.

That red x must be how the audience can tell if a pokemon has fainted or not since its use.

"Go!" Aura yelled.

"Koko!"

Finally, Hue was seeing the pokemon he had expected to see right away.

"Drill!" Koko buzzed as she flew about the stadium.

"[Tangela]" Aura's pokedex stated as she lifted it up to scan the strange yarn-looking pokemon. "The [Vine] Pokemon. Its body is wrapped in vines. The rest of its form is hidden beneath these vines."

"Let's see what it looks like!" Aura yelled. "Koko, use Pin Missile!"

"Beedrill!" Koko buzzed as she shot multiple pin missiles at the Tangela.

"Counter with Ancient Power." Erika called out.

The rocks crushed the pin missiles easily.

"Tangela, use Ingrain!" Erika stated.

"Tangela!" The Vine pokemon shot roots from its body into the ground, planting itself firmly in place.

"Interesting." Aura smirked. "Koko, use Swords Dance!" She called out.

The Beedrill buzzed around the Tangela, doing a dance in the air, whilst sharpening its stingers.

"And now, use Twin Needle!"

"Beedrill!" Koko buzzed as it's Twin Needle stingers shot into the Tangela.

The Tangela stayed strong and sturdy however.

"What the-" Hue began, but he realized what was going on.

The Tangela was absorbing nutrients through its roots thanks to Ingrain. It was gaining health at a steady rate.

"Tangela, now, use Natural Gift!" Erika called.

"No freakin' way!" Hue shouted before he saw a familiar light.

Instantly, Koko was down on the ground.

"Beedrill is unable to battle." The ref stated. "The winner is Tangela."

"Good job Koko." Aura returned her Beedrill. "I didn't realize that she would use the same trick as me…"

A red X appeared over Koko's image up on the Bulletin board.

Aura grinned.

"Unfortunately for you Tangela, this is where the fun stops." She said. "Go!"

Hue nearly passed out from shock.

Aura had sent out Karakara, her Cubone.

"Bone!" Karakara raised her bone at the Tangela, unafraid to take it on.

"Karakara…" Aura grinned. "Retaliate."

"Tangela, get out of there!" Erika called, but it couldn't due to its ingrained roots.

"Tangela is unable to battle!" The ref called. "The winner is Cubone!"

"That's the spirit, Karakara!" Aura chimed.

"We just won the battle!"

"I wouldn't get so cocky if I were you." Erika smiled. "I still have one pokemon left, after all."

Hue smiled.

He knew why Aura was so sure she'd win, but Erika was right. Nothing was set in stone yet.

"Go!" Erika called.

"Vileplume!"

Aura lifted her pokedex again. "[Vileplume]." It stated. "The [Flower] pokemon. Using the largest flower petals in the world, it spreads large clouds of pollen that cause allergic reactions."

"Right…" Aura remembered. "I've seen one of these things before." She turned to Karakara. "You ready Karakara?" She asked.

"Cubone!" Karakara nodded.

"In that case…" A glint appeared in Aura's eye. "Perish Song! Let's go!"

"Boooooonnnneee…" Karakara began to sing a sad melody.

"Vileplume, use Sunny Day!" Erika yelled. "We'll need to win this quickly!"

"Pluuuuume!" the Vileplume said as it raised its small arms towards the sky.

The bright sun began to shine down upon the gym.

"So bright…" Hue raised his left arm over his forehead so he could still see what was going on on the battlefield.

"Now, Karakara, use Bonemerang!" Aura yelled. "Knock that giant flower off it's feet!"

"Bone!" Karakara fling her Bone towards the Vileplume.

"Solarbeam!" Erika shouted.

Instantly, the Vileplume shot a bright beam of sunlight from the center of the large flower on its head, enveloping both the bone and Karakara herself.

"Karakara, no!" Aura yelled.

"Cubone is unable to battle." The ref called. "The winner is Vileplume."

Hue gulped.

This was bad.

Erika had already seen all of Nazono's tricks, but this Vileplume was still largely unknown to Aura.

For the first time, he could see Aura uncertain of whether she would actually win or not.

"Don't give in until the end, Aura!" He shouted.

Aura looked over to where he was and smiled.

"Right." She said. She turned back towards Erika.

"Go, Nazono!" She yelled.

"Oddish!" Nazono said, out of breath.

Hue had been counting. Nazono only needed to last for about thirty more seconds.

The problem came in the fact that Nazono…

"Vileplume...Solar Beam once more!" Erika called.

"Nazono, dodge it!" Aura yelled out.

The problem was that Nazono wasn't…

Nazono easily and speedily dodged out of the way.

"How the hell is Nazono that fast?" Hue asked.

"[Chlorophyll]" Dean informed Hue. "The Speed stat of pokemon with this ability raises in sunlight."

"Nice!" Hue called out.

"Now Nazono!" Aura shouted out. "Lucky Chant once more!"

"Odd! Oddish dish Oddish dish Oddish dish-" Nazono began repeating the same phrase over and over again until yet another white light began to envelop her.

"I should have learned by now to expect this from her pokemon." Hue said as he shook his head..

Nazono grew while the light blinded everyone, and when it cleared, Hue saw exactly what he expected to see.

"Gloom!" Nazono said as the white light cleared away.

"[Gloom]." Aura's pokedex stated. "The [Weed] Pokemon. It gives off a powerful aroma that can cause those to smell it to faint from up to two miles away."

Hue instantly plugged his nose upon hearing that, as did Aura, and Erika, and the ref.

"Nazono." Aura said with her pinched nose.

"Let's show them this new move of yours! Use Moonlight!"

"Gloooom!" Nazono lifted her arms and began to heal all the injuries she had sustained from her fight with the Victreebel.

"That won't help you." Erika said. "Vileplume, use Petal Blizzard!"

"You can endure it, Nazono!" Aura called.

"Vilepluuuu!" The Vileplume shot a large flurry of petals towards Nazono.

Nazono was sent skidding back to Aura, and ended up on her knees.

"Hang in there Nazono…" Aura said.

Erika grinned.

"It's too late for you. Vileplume, finish it off with Solar Beam."

She said.  
"Plume!" Vileplume nodded.

It then proceeded to hold its head as it violently shook its body all over place, as though it was having a seizure, before finally collapsing onto the floor.

The Perish Song from earlier had finally kicked in.

"Vileplume is no longer able to battle!" The ref called out.

"The winner is Gloom, which means victory goes to Aura, the challenger!"

Hue stood up as he clapped.

That was the closest battle he had ever seen Aura in. If it weren't for Karakara's Perish Song, she probably would have lost that match.

"Here it is…" Erika said, handing Aura the Rainbow Badge. "The Rainbow Badge."

"5 down…" Aura said with a smile. "3 to go."

Her eyes lit up as she ran to Hue.

"The closest gym to here that we haven't gone to is Fuchsia City's gym isn't it?" She asked, excited.

"Yeah so?" Hue wondered.

"So…" Aura said. "It means I'll get to meet your Huey family!"

Hue gulped.

He had told his family absolutely _nothing_ about Aura.

He'd even talked to them every time he reached a major city, though he left out any details that might worry his mother, like him joining the police, or almost drowning when the SS Anne was attacked.

"Let's just focus on getting me inside the gym for now." Hue said.

"You want a battle?" Erika asked.

Hue and Aura looked at each other.

Was she...offering?

"Yes?" Hue replied.

"Well then…" Erika sighed. "If you can get a girl who hasn't challenged the gym yet and doesn't plan to challenge the gym in the future to use your pokemon, we'll allow you to battle me using that girl as a vessel of sorts."

"Interesting proposal." Deus said inside Hue's mind. "A vessel commanding their own vessel."

"The problem is...besides Carmen Yiddle, I don't know anyone who doesn't have any intention of defeating the Kanto Gym Leaders, and I doubt that she'd be willing to do this for me."

"Well then…" Erika said. "I'm sorry, but it looks like you'll just have to come back later when you have someone to fill in for you."

Hue and Aura walked into Celadon South Restaurant.

"Tauros shit…" Hue mumbled as they began to wait for their food.

"Absolute tauros shit…"

"Hey, calm down Huey. I got my badge, and won enough pokeyen to last us a few more days, so we should be able to find someone to represent you."

"That's not it…" Hue said, shaking his head. "In fact, we might have found someone already, but that's what's bothering me about it. I got a call before we came to the restaurant, and what's happening is absolute tauros shit."

"What's happening?" Aura asked.

"What do you know about my family?" Hue asked.

"I know you have a mother and that Diane is your adopted sister…"

"Did you know about my real one?"

"No…." Aura shook her head.

"Well, now you do." Hue said.

"I still don't-" Aura began.

"And did you know that she's arriving here in Celadon from Aspertia City in Unova today for her school's winter break?"

"No…"

A large plane began to land at the small airport near the restaurant.

"Well, now you do." Hue said.

As Aura and Hue finished their food, paid the check, tipped 20% because they were charitable, and walked out Hue said exactly what was making him so peeved.

"And did you know that my Mom as requested as of, like, half an hour ago that I take care of Gloria and keep her with me until I'm back home in Fuchsia City?"

"Oh…." Aura said as the two of them waited at the airport, and a girl who looked to be about 10 years old made her way towards them.

She had long blonde curls and emerald eyes, and was wearing an Aspertia Trainer's School Uniform.

"No I didn't…" Aura said to Hue.

"Huey!" Gloria yelled upon seeing Hue, and hurried towards him, her long blonde curls following behind her in a flame-like fashion, very much akin to Diane's hair.

"Huey!" Gloria tugged on Hue's blue jacket. "Who's that pretty girl staring at us?"

Aura blushed, bit her nail, and looked away.

"Well Aura…" Hue sighed, bracing himself for his home and trainer lives to collide. "Now you do."


	38. Gloria Swanson

Chapter 38:

Gloria Swanson

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Aqua Tail, Water Pulse

Espella(Eevee): Sand-Attack, Swift, Take-Down, Covet

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Ace(Pidgeotto): Mud-Slap, Quick Attack, Roost, Twister

Venus(Weepinbell): Poison Powder, Acid, Slam, Razor Leaf

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

"I've got them both safe and sound!" Professor Oak said as he held up both Bruce's and Arthur's pokeballs. "Ace and Cooper have both been sent your way!"

"They're both right here!" Hue held up Ace and Cooper's pokeballs. "Thanks again for doing this all the time for me professor."

"Don't mention it!" Professor Oak gave a smile. "The two of you keep sending me pokemon, and feel free to rearrange your parties whenever you wish!"

"It's Professor Oak!" Gloria pointed at Professor Oak's face on the PC.

"Who is that?" Professor Oak asked. "Are you aspiring to be a trainer little girl?"

"Mm!" Gloria nodded. "I'm 10 already, but I want to be a champion one day, so I'm spending some time in Aspertia's Trainer's school in Unova!" She said. "And when I graduate from it, I'll challenge my big brother!"

"Oh, so your Hue's younger sister?" Professor Oak asked. "I should have guessed from the satin blonde hair…"

"Yep!" Gloria smiled. She reached into her backpack that she had on and pulled out a pokeball.

"And I've already got a pokemon from the school too! My assignment over our winter break is to take care of it and see if I can't teach it a new move!"

"Didn't you also go to a trainer's school?" Aura asked Hue.

Hue gave a small laugh.

"I did but...I went to Earl's Academy in the Johto region...It was less expensive because it was closer."

"So, why is your younger sister attending a school so far away?"

Gloria gave a bright smile.

"Because she was chosen from a lottery of aspiring trainers to attend for free!" She said cheerfully. "And when she gets out, she's going to travel all over the world and battle Huey!"

"We _could_ battle right now you know." Hue laughed. "You've got a pokemon…"

"No." Gloria shook her head. "Mr. Cheren said that I'm not to battle with this pokemon under any circumstances. Only tutor it."

"I don't know what you were so worried about." Aura said as Gloria began striking up an enthusiastic conversation with Professor Oak.

"Your younger sister is adorable, Huey! She's so sweet and friendly!"

"That's what's worrying me." Hue said. "She's still got her childlike innocence. She was born only a few months after my father passed away, so she hasn't experienced the loss of a loved one or anything tragic in her life yet. I'm worried that if she spends too much time with us, she'll lose that innocence."

"Huey!" Gloria tugged on his jacket again. "Huey, I want to see it!"

"What's 'it'?" Aura asked.

"Duh!" Gloria said, as though anyone would know this off the top of their heads.

"I want to see Huey's first pokemon! Mom never told me what it was!"

"Alright, I'll show you." Hue smiled. "I'll show you my whole team right now. Let's go outside."

"Toooorrrrrtllllleeeee." Douglas purred as Gloria pet him behind his ears. "Warrrrrrrrr…."

"You're so cute!" Gloria squealed, excited. "You like being scratched behind the ears, don't you?"

"Wartortle!" Douglas beamed.

"Lithe! Growlithe!" Gumshoe ran up to Gloria and began wagging his tail.

"Growlithe!" Gloria identified the pokemon. "It's so cute!" She began to pet Gumshoe with the other hand.

"Huey, he's so warm!"

"He's a Fire type." Hue smiled.

"Send out more!" Gloria requested.

"Ace! Espella! come out!" Hue sent out his Pidgeotto and Eevee.

"Eevee! Eevee!" Gloria could barely contain her excitement. "Eevees are so cute!"

She turned to Ace.

"Birdy!" She chimed as she began to stroke Ace's hair.

"Dgeooooo…" Ace began to coo happily.

"She's so gentle with them…" Aura said, smiling. "She's going to make an amazing trainer one day."

"Yeah, she will." Hue nodded.

"Send out more!" Gloria ordered Hue.

"Okay, but these ones aren't quite as friendly as the others." Hue said as he sent out Venus and Cooper.

"What are they?" Gloria asked as she looked over Venus.

"Venus is a Weepinbell." Hue answered. "She's a Grass and Poison type. Cooper is a Cloyster, and he's a Water and Ice type."

"Huey…" Gloria's eyes looked serious. "I understand that trainers can only carry six pokemon at a time...but I want to see more."

"A little help?" Hue turned to Aura. "I've sent all of mine out already…"

Aura nodded.

"Hey Gloria, here's a pokemon I think you'll like." She said as she sent out Purin.

"Wiggly!" Purin boasted as he struck a triumphant pose.

"Wigglytuff!" Gloria correctly identified the pokemon and tackle hugged him.

"Tuff!" Purin laughed. "Wigglytuff!"

"He's laughing now…" Aura said. "But don't let that fool you, Purin is one tough customer."

"I _know_ that." Gloria said, as though she had been told that phrase a thousand times.

"Mr. Cheren keeps telling me the same thing. But I'm not attacking them so they shouldn't be a problem for me."

"Huey, can't we just keep her with us forever?" Aura asked, having taken quite the shine to Gloria.

"No way!" Gloria refused before Hue could.

"I want to spend my winter vacation at home! Not walking around with Huey and…"

She turned back to Hue.

"Huey, why is this pretty girl with you?"

"This is my friend, Aura." Hue introduced her. "We're traveling together."

Gloria gasped.

The second she did that, Hue knew she had misinterpreted what that meant.

"Hey." He pointed a scolding finger at her.

"It's not what you think it is."

"It really isn't." Aura sighed.

"In any case, Gloria." Hue was eager to change the topic. "We'll be staying in Celadon City for a while. A friend of ours is participating in the Cooking Contest tomorrow, and in a few days, both Aura and I are signing up for a Pokemon Contest."

"And we have something for you to do today too." Aura smiled.

"We do?" Hue asked.

Aura gave him a glare.

"Oh! We do!" Hue realized what she meant.

"Gloria...how would you like to experience a real live gym battle?"

Gloria's eyes lit up, but then she lowered her head.

"I'm not supposed to battle with the pokemon I've brought home."

"It won't be with _your_ pokemon." Hue said. "It'll be with three of mine."

Gloria perked back up again.

She seemed all for this idea.

"You're back...and...oh, I didn't know you two had a kid...you both look so young…" The clerk at the counter said.

She was just as bad as, if not worse than Gloria.

"Not our kid." Hue said. "My sister. She'll be my battle vessel for the gym."

The clerk stared blankly.

"Battle Vessel?" She asked. "Didn't you get the news the other day? We've decided to accept your challenge."

Hue and Aura looked at each other.

"Excuse me?" He asked, in disbelief.

"Yes. As a matter of fact, the request came from the Champion when he came here to watch his daughter earn her own fifth badge yesterday, a few hours after the two of you left."

Hue looked at his pokedex.

Sure enough, there was a message from Ethel in his inbox.

 _Thanks for helping with the Silph Co. Incident. Sorry if my father was weird. To apologize for any trouble he might have caused you, I've arranged a present for you in Celadon City. Go back to the gym and ask for a challenge. See you at the Celadon Contest. -Ethel_

"Jeez, I can feel the monotone in the message…" Hue gave a small laugh.

"So...what does that mean?" Gloria asked.

The last thing Hue wanted to do was make his sister sad on her first full day back in Kanto.

"Listen, miss...please let my sister be the one to battle Erika anyway? I've already told her that she can get experience battling a gym leader…"

"No, Huey, don't! If you can do it, I want to see you do it!" Gloria said. "I'll be a trainer one day, so I'll battle plenty of gym leaders!"

Hue sighed and smiled.

"All right. I'll do it."

"Great." The clerk nodded. "I assume you also have only earned four badges as of right now?"

"Yeah." Hue said.

"Then you know the drill." She handed Hue the sheet of paper. "The three pokemon you plan to use against Erika on this piece of paper please."

Hue had seen the pokemon that Erika uses for trainers looking for their 5th badge, so he filled out his form accordingly.

"I'm ready." He said.

"Very well." The clerk nodded. "You and the ladies may enter through that doorway there."

"Is this a Grass type gym?" Gloria asked Aura as they both sat in the bleachers and Hue took his place in the challenger's area.

"Yes, it is." Aura replied. "Your brother has probably chosen pokemon different than what you would expect though. He likes to battle based on what his pokedex tells him, so sometimes he might not make the best type match-up choices."

"Oh, like _you_ do?" Hue asked.

Aura gave a smirk and leaned back. "Fair enough." She said.

"The match between the challenger, Hue Swanson of Fuchsia City, and the Gym Leader, Erika of Celadon City, will now begin!" The ref called out. "The winner will receive the Rainbow Badge! This will be a 3 on 3 pokemon battle. The battle will be over when all of one side's pokemon are no longer able to battle. In addition, only the challenger is allowed to make substitutions."

"I hope you don't expect the same battle that your friend went through yesterday." Erika smiled.

"The only thing I expect is my victory." Hue replied.

"Trainers, send out your first pokemon!"

"Go!" Hue yelled. "Gumshoe!"

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe barked, eager to battle.

"Go, Tangela!" Erika shouted as she sent out the Tangela that had taken out Aura's beedrill the other day.

"Oooh!" Gloria pointed at the large monitor hanging over the battlefield, which had lit up pictures of both a Tangela and a Growlithe under portraits of Erika and Hue respectively.

"Battle, Start!" The ref called.

"Gumshoe, let's charge in with a Fire Fang!" Hue called out.

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe barked as his fangs began to burn with a red fire.

"Counter it with Ancient Power!" Erika yelled.

"Tangelaaaa!" The mass of vines summoned up large rocks and hurled them towards Gumshoe.

"Gumshoe, go into a Dig!" Hue retaliated.

Gumshoe quickly dug down into the earth, just in time to narrowly escape the Ancient Power rocks.

"Steady yourself, Tangela…." Erika said. "That thing could be anywhere…."

"Now Gumshoe, Reversal!" Hue yelled. "Stir that soil!"

"Lithe!" Gumshoe yelled as he kicked up a hole under the Tangela, managing to land a bit of a hit on it.

"Tangela, use Knock Off!" Erika called.

"Ge-laaa!" The Tangela tossed itself around and kicked Gumshoe with its foot, knocking him backwards.

"Lithe!" Gumshoe yelped as he shuddered in a cloud of dust.

He then began to glow a faint golden-red in color.

Hue smiled. It had been a while, but he recognized this ability.

"What's that?" Gloria asked.

"Justified." Aura answered. "If Huey's Growlithe is hit by a dark-type attack, it's own attack power rises."

"Ooh!' Gloria eyes brightened.

"So that means…"

"Now Tangela!" Erika yelled. "Ingrain!"

"Gumshoe, Fire Fang on those roots!" Hue called out.

As Tangela's roots came out to burrow into the soil tilled by Gumshoe's Reversal attack, Gumshoe charged in with a large Fire Fang.

"Gelaaaaaaa!" The Tangela wheezed as it Gumshoe unearthed it by it's Ingrain roots with his flaming mouth.

"Lithe!" Gumshoe grinned a confident smile.

"Now Gumshoe, Reversal it again!" Hue commanded.  
"Growlithe!" Gumshoe tossed the Tangela into a wall.

A giant red X appeared over the picture of Tangela on the monitor overlooking the battlefield.

"Tangela is no longer able to battle." The ref said. "The winner is Growlithe!"

"Keep up the good work, Gumshoe!" Hue gave a thumbs up.

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe barked happily, wagging his tail as he returned to Hue.

"Take a break buddy." Hue said with a smile. "Let's let the other pokemon have a turn as well."

Hue took out another pokeball after he returned Gumshoe.

"Ready?" He asked.

"When you are." Erika nodded.

"Go!" Hue yelled as he threw the pokeball.

"Ace!"

"Victreebel!" Erika yelled as she sent out her Victreebel.

A picture of a Victreebel appeared under Erika's face, and a picture of a Pidgeotto appeared under Hue's own face on the monitor.

"Interesting…" Aura gave a smirk. "Huey's _finally_ going to make use of the move I had him teach Ace for the Pewter City Tournament."

"Ace!" Hue yelled out.

"Start things off with a Quick Attack!"

"Pidgeoooo!" Ace cooed as she quickly struck at the Victreebel before it could do anything else.

"I might not know much about Victreebel…" Hue admitted. "The pokedex doesn't tell me that much, but I know that from it's Flycatcher species, that it's a plant that _eats_...So on that note…"

He pointed.

"Ace, use Mud-Slap! Force that Victreebel to literally eat your dust!"

"Dgeo-tto!" Ace chirped as she swooped down towards the ground and kicked up a ton of mud towards the Victreebel.

"It must be a lot easier to kick up after Gumshoe tearing up the dirt on the field like that." Aura smirked. "It looks like Huey's taken a bit of a lesson about terrain based battling from a friend of ours."

"Who?" Gloria asked.

"Freddie Franks." Aura answered. "He's a Pokemon Chef. You'll meet him tomorrow. We'll have him make a special meal for you so you can see his pokemon in action."

"Victreebel, don't let this bird make a mockery of you!" Erika yelled. "Use Leaf Tornado!"

"Bellllll!" the Victreebel screeched as it shot a large barrage of leaves towards Ace.

"Pidgeoooo…" Ace fluttered about in the Leaf Tornado, starting to have trouble flying.

"Now, turn it into a Leaf Storm!" Erika called out.

"Victreee!" The Victreebel screeched again as the leaves intensified.

"Pidgeotto…" Ace was starting to take a lot more damage than Hue had anticipated.

"Ace, get out of the air! Roost!"

"Pidge…" Ace panted as she swooped down and landed on a low branch towards the edge ot the battlefield.

"Pidgeo…" She sighed.

"Victreebel!" Erika called out. "Leaf Tornado once more!"

"Counter it with Twister!" Hue retaliated.

"Bellllll!" Victreebel screeched.

"Dgeooooo!" Ace cawed with all her might.

The large gusts of wind, tearing up both leaves and small rocks and pieces of the ground collided with each other, creating a large gust of wind knocking both pokemon towards their trainers.

"You okay Ace?" Hue asked.

"Dgeo-tto!" Ace nodded as she gained her balance back, remaining airborne.

"How about you, Victreebel?" Erika asked.

"Bel…" The Victreebel affirmed.

"Good, then it's time for a Slam attack!" She yelled.

"Ace, now's the time. Mud-Slap as much mud as you can into its mouth!" Hue called.

"Belllll!" the Victreebel lunged, mouth first, for Ace, ready to slam her to the ground.

"Pi-dgeooooo!" Ace cooed as she ducked down at the perfect opportunity and shot a large Mud-Slap into the Victreebel's mouth.

"Be-Be-ech-bel…" The Flycatcher pokemon began to cough.

"It isn't wise to keep your mouth that wide open." Hue smiled. "Ace, finish it off with a Quick Attack!"

"Pidge…."

Ace began to fly towards the Victreebel.

"Ooooo…."

Her wings began to brightly glow as she drifted slightly to the side.

"Ttoooo!" She cooed as her wing collided with the Victreebel.

"Wing Attack!" Aura identified the move.

"[Wing Attack]." Dean let Hue know that Aura was correct. "A [Flying] type attack. The target is struck with large, imposing wings spread wide to inflict damage."

"Nice!" Hue smiled. "Way to go, Ace!" He called.

A large red X appeared over the picture of the Victreebel under Erika's portrait on the monitor.

"Victreebel is unable to battle!" The ref called out. "The winner is Pidgeotto!"

"Great Job, Ace!" Hue smiled.

"Pidgeotto!" Ace chirped happily as she flew back to Hue.

"You take a good rest too." He smiled.

"Hey Aura…" Gloria tugged on Aura's bag. "Is Huey a really strong trainer?"

"He's strong sure, but…" Aura turned. "He's also really lucky. He's seen Erika's pokemon in action before, and it's given him time to prepare his own team accordingly. It's a rather advantageous position to be in. He'd probably be in a very different position if he was challenging her without any prior knowledge like I was yesterday."

"Okay." Gloria nodded. "Then Huey's doing really well in this battle, huh?" She asked, smiling.

"You bet he is." Aura smiled back at her.

"Go!" Hue yelled, sending out his last pokemon.

"Venus!" He announced as he sent out his Weepinbell.

"Venus!" Gloria recognized it. "The Weep in Hell!"

"Weepinbell." Aura corrected her. "Weepinbell."

"Right!" Gloria nodded. "That's what I said!"

Aura turned back with a smile to watch the battle.

"Go!" Erika called out. "Vileplume!"

"Pluuume!" The Vileplume gave an evil eye.

A picture of a Vileplume appeared under Erika's portrait, while a picture of a Weepinbell appeared under Hue's portrait on the monitor overlooking the battlefield.

"I see what you've done." Erika smiled. "That was very clever of you…"

"Thanks for the praise." Hue nodded.

"What did he do?" Gloria asked. "Is Huey really smart?"  
"While Huey's smarts in many other areas is near non-existent, he's very good when it comes to strategies for battles." Aura answered. "That Vileplume's best attack is Solar Beam, which is a Grass type attack, and Hue's pokemon of choice all resist it. He normally doesn't bring types and levels into his planning, but this case must have been an exception."

"It only took one Solar Beam to get rid of Karakara yesterday." Hue explained. "So I wanted to make sure that all of the pokemon that I used in the battle could withstand at least one of those Solar Beams."

"And…" Aura smirked. "He's probably guessed Vileplumes other strategy from it's pokedex entry."

"Vileplume!" Erika yelled. "Hit it with a Venoshock!"

"That's a poison type move!" Gloria pointed, excited to show off her knowledge.

"So you _don't_ have a good counter for it…" Hue smiled.

"Venus, counter it with Acid!"

"Vilepluuume!" The Vileplume hissed as it shot a poison gunk from the center if its flower.

"Weeeeeep!" Venus hollered as she shot a strange gunk of acid from her mouth towards the Vileplume.

The poisons collided in midair and splashed all over the field.

"Vileplume!" Erika yelled. "Venoshock won't be any use, Sunny Day, get ready to fire off solar beams!" She ordered.

"Plume!" the Vileplume nodded.

"Venus, you know what to do!" Hue called out. "First, use Razor Leaf!"

"Weepinbell!" Venus nodded.

As the Vileplume raised its hands towards the sky and the gym began enveloped in harsh sunlight, Venus shot a bunch of razor leaves towards the Flower Pokemon.

"Now, Vileplume!" Erika yelled.

"Now, Venus!" Hue shouted.

"Solarbeam!"

"Slam!"

Venus charged into the Vileplume and knocked it over just in time for a Solar Beam to be fired off and hit the wall of the gym, just under the monitor.

"Careful with the equipment in there!" The clerk shouted from the other room.

"Venus!" Hue yelled. "While you're up close, do a close range Acid attack!"

"Weep!" Venus burped as she shot out acid gunk directly in the Vileplume's face.

"Pluuume…" The Vileplume moaned as it took the attack.

It began to roll around on the gym floor.

"Vileplume, what's wrong?" Erika asked.

"You should know…" Hue smirked.

"A Weepinbell's acid can dissolve virtually anything. That Vileplume must be in intense pain."

"Vileplume!" Erika called out.

"Use Giga Drain to-"

"Finish it off, Venus!" Hue yelled. "One more Acid will do it!"

"Bell!" Venus nodded (kind of), and shot another chunk of acid at the Vileplume.

"Pluuuuuuuummmmeeee!" The Vileplume yelled before Venus got off of it, revealing a fainted Flower Pokemon.

A large red X appeared over the picture of the Vileplume.

"Vileplume is no longer able to battle!" The ref yelled. "The winner is Weepinbell!"

"Bell!" Venus cheered.  
"Way to go, Venus!" Hue cheered as well.

Hue's portrait was enlarged to take up the whole monitor with smaller portraits of the pokemon he used appearing below his face.

"Which means the victor is Hue Swanson of Fuchsia City!" The ref announced.

"Huey did it!" Gloria squealed excitedly.

"I watched a trainer win a gym battle in real life!"

She seemed very happy to have simply seen that much.

"Let's go congratulate him." Aura smiled.

"Here it is…" Erika said as she handed Hue the Rainbow Badge outside the gym. "The Rainbow Badge. Good luck on your journey, you two."

"I really liked your pokemon in the battle!" Gloria told Erika. "Grass types are really interesting!"  
"They sure are." Erika smiled. "Do you want to run a Grass gym someday?"

"No way!" Gloria chimed. "I like _Normal_ types the best! They're so cuddly most of the time!"

"Aren't Normal types your favorite too?" Aura asked Hue.

"Dragons are up there too." Hue said. "And not for the same reasons as Gloria. I like Normal types because of their versatility, and I like Dragon types…"

Hue put a finger to his chin.

"Well, I suppose to be more specific, I like _Dratini, Dragonair, and Dragonite_." He said. "I enjoy how their appearance is approachable yet they're powerful pokemon."

"I enjoy that too." Aura smiled.

"I also promised someone that I'd catch one for her." Hue admitted, deciding not to reveal it was a part of his dreams while Gloria was around.

A look of shock appeared on Aura's face. She seemed to know that Hue was talking about one of his dreams though, so she kept her question vague.

"How do you remember a promise like that?" She asked.

Hue shrugged. "I wish I had the answers." He said.

"Huey…" Gloria tugged on Hue's jacket.

"What now?"

"Now?" Hue asked. "Now we go to the Pokemon Center and goof off for the rest of the day. And tomorrow we'll be eating and walking around the city all day for the Cooking Contest."

"And I'll meet Freddie Franks?!" Gloria asked excitedly.

"That's right!" Hue smiled.

"Freddie Franks?" A voice asked.

Hue, Aura, and Gloria turned to see a strange girl with long auburn hair and freckles. They didn't recognize her, but she seemed to know Freddie.

"Take me to Freddie." She said with a strange determination in her eyes.

"My name is Lindsey Bailey." She introduced herself.

"That name sounds familiar…" Hue whispered to Aura.

"It's the name of the one person that Freddie said could actually hold on their own against him." Aura whispered back.

"I'm ranked among the top Trainer Chefs in Kanto." Lindsey stated. "I was on the SS Anne. And there's a special reason I want to see Freddie so badly."

"Do you like him?" Aura asked with a sly face.

"Are you mad about something he did?" Hue asked.

"No no, it's nothing like either of those." Lindsey shook her head, and then looked up at the two of them with determined eyes and held up a pokeball.

"Freddie still owes me a pokemon battle!"


	39. Celadon City Cooking Contest!

Chapter 39:

Celadon City Cooking Contest!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Aqua Tail, Water Pulse

Espella(Eevee): Sand-Attack, Swift, Take-Down, Covet

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Ace(Pidgeotto): Mud-Slap, Roost, Twister, Wing Attack

Venus(Weepinbell): Poison Powder, Acid, Slam, Razor Leaf

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

Lindsey Bailey was her name.

She seemed at just about Hue and Aura's age, maybe older by a year or two.

She had long very well brushed auburn hair and a tan face full of freckles.

Her eyes were a strange shade of grey that reminded Hue of steam from a pot of boiling water.

From what he remembered about Freddie's stories about her, she was from Johto and was quite good at cooking Kanto pokemon dishes.

And according to Freddie, she was the only pokemon chef he knew that could their own against him in both kitchen and battles.

Gloria seemed to recognize her.

"It's Chef Bailey!" She chimed.

"She came to cook for our welcome feast at the Aspertia Trainer's School!"

Gloria ran up to Lindsey.

"Your food was really yummy! Are you going to make more?"  
"That's right." Lindsey smiled at Gloria. "And if you don't mind walking around the city, you'll be able to taste some of it."

"We can have some of her cooking right, Huey?" Gloria tugged on Hue's jacket.

Hue and Aura looked at each other.

"We should have enough pokeyen to buy three meals from both her and Freddie." Aura said. "But we won't be able to taste anyone else's food because I want to at least _keep_ some of the money we just won…"

"I think that's fine…" Hue nodded. He turned to Gloria.

"Sure, we'll have some when its ready. And you can see Lindsey's pokemon in action in the kitchen."

"Yeeeeee!" Gloria squealed excitedly. "I'll get to see them again!"

"That's right." Lindsey smiled at Gloria.

She turned her attention back to Hue and Aura.

"So, you two know Freddie?"  
"He was traveling with us until recently…" Hue said.

"He's definitely here in the city for the cooking contest. We're still sharing a room in the pokemon center, so I suppose we can bring him to you tomorrow morning before the Cooking Contest starts."

"That sounds perfect." Lindsey agreed. "Bring him to the roof of the Department Store, and we'll have our battle there."

"Oooh!" Gloria raised her hand. "Oooh! Can I?"

"Can you what?" Hue asked with a laugh.

"Can I ref the match? I learned all the flag moves and stuff so I want to do it!"

"Is that acceptable?" Hue asked Lindsey.

"Sounds great." Lindsey smiled at Gloria.

"Well…" Aura said as she, Gloria, and Hue walked away towards the pokemon center.

"That girl was nice. She was getting along really well with Gloria too."

"I think I see why Freddie has trouble against her." Hue said. "He's a great chef and all, but his personality could definitely rub some people the wrong way, and presentation is an important part of these contests."

"Is Freddie a bad man?" Gloria asked.

Hue burst out laughing.

"No he isn't." Aura reassured Gloria. "He's just a little goofy, and adults aren't always fans of people who are goofy."

"You don't like him that much either do you?" Hue asked.

"He's okay…" Aura rolled her eyes.

She smiled at Gloria.

"But I definitely prefer your sister over him."

Gloria beamed.

"First a broken arm, and now a little girl…" Freddie noticed as Hue and Aura walked into the pokemon center. "Why is it that this isn't surprising?"  
"This is my sister, Gloria." Hue said. "If you were here last night and not out doing who knows what, you'd know that she's her on winter vacation."

"Is this Freddie?" Gloria pointed to him as she asked Hue and Aura.

"This is Freddie." Hue nodded.

"You owe Chef Bailey a pokemon battle!" Gloria scolded immediately.

"So we're going to take you to the roof of the Department Store and you're going to accept her challenge!"

"Now?" Freddie asked.

"It's 8:00 pm! I've been training my pokemon for tomorrow non-stop today. I'm too tired to-"

"You'll battle her tomorrow morning, before the contest. You'll have time to heal at the Pokemon Center before the cooking contest starts, so saying no isn't an option."

"No?" Freddie tested the limits.

"What's the big deal?" Aura asked.

"She seemed nice, and really eager to battle you…"

"Lindsey and I….well, we're sort of _tied_ in wins and losses when it comes to pokemon battles." Freddie said. "Is it too much to ask to let me not have to risk losing rank?"

"That's far too much to ask." Aura glared. "You'll battle this girl, and you'll let Hue's sister ref the match."

"This isn't the Make-A-Wish foundation." Freddie mumbled.

"Huey…" Aura said in a tone that let him know she was absolutely done with Freddie. "I'm a little too tired to deal with this. I think I'll retire for the night."

"Good night." Hue said. "Think happy thoughts as you go to sleep, it'll help."

Gloria looked up at Hue as Aura went into the bathroom.

"What is it?" Hue asked.

"Nothing." Gloria grinned.

Hue never really could understand his sister's thought patterns half of the time.

"Anyways Freddie… please…" He pleaded. "Can you at least do it for us?"

"Fine…" Freddie rolled his eyes. "But you guys have to each get a large serving of the dish I plan to make for Celadon's Cooking Contest!"

"Fair enough." Hue agreed. "Thanks for understanding."

"I've been waiting for this day to finally arrive." Lindsey said with a smile as she and Freddie took their places on opposite ends of the department store.

"The day I finally settle our battling score!"

"I'm ready when you are." Freddie said. "But the score won't be settled the way you think it will." He gave a devious grin.

"How do you want to do this?" He asked.

"How does a standard 3 on 3 battle sound?" Lindsey asked.

"Very well." Freddie nodded. "I'll beat you in a shutout victory and then be on my way. I want to get some extra training in before the cooking contest."

Hue rolled his eyes.

Freddie was bluffing. He was really scared about this battle.

"The battle between Lindsey Bailey and Freddie Franks will now begin!" Gloria cheered as she was aided in holding the heavier than expected flags by Aura.

"This will be a 3 on 3 single battle. The battle will be over when all of one side's pokemon are no longer able to battle! Trainers, send out your first pokemon!"

"Go!" Both Lindsey and Freddie yelled at the same time.

"Chaaaaaaaaarrrrrr!" Freddie's Charmeleon called out.

"Quilava!" Lindsey had sent out a Quilava.

"I see your Charmander evolved." Lindsey brushed her hair back. "Unfortunately, Cyndaquil has evolved as well. Get ready for a repeat of last time."

"Evolution might make a pokemon stronger in certain areas…" Freddie said. "But it also changes the pokemon. You'll see that Charmeleon's battling style is far different than it was last time you fought it!"

Gloria's eyes lit up.

"Battle….Start!" She cheered, excited.

"Charmeleon, start of with a Slash!" Freddie called out.

"Quilava!" Lindsey yelled.

"Use Flame Wheel!"

As the two pokemon collided and knocked each other back, Hue took out his pokedex.

"I almost forgot. I can read data on Quilava…"

"[Quilava]." Dean informed Hue. "The [Volcano] Pokemon. Quilava is the evolved form of Cyndaquil and capable of incredible attacks using the flame on its back."

"Charmeleon!" Freddie called."Flame Burst!"

"Take it head on Quilava!" Lindsey smiled.

Charmeleon shot a large ball of fire at the Quilava. The fire cleared and the Quilava was still perfectly fine.

"Its body is covered in fire-proof fur and can withstand any Fire type attack." Dean continued to inform Hue.

"Now Quilava!" Lindsey yelled. "Swift!"

"Laaaavaaa!" the Quilava short a barrage of stars towards Charmeleon, who couldn't avoid them for the life of him.

"Quilll…" The Volcano pokemon growled as the fires on its back began to burn rather brightly.

"Quilava intimidates foes with its flame's heat, and when ready to battle, the fire burns with more strength." Dean finished off telling Hue about Quilava.

"That's not a good pokemon for Charmeleon to fight, is it?" Hue asked, momentarily forgetting that Aura was over near Gloria, helping her ref the match.

"No it really isn't." Deus's voice echoed through Hue's head, sending a terrible jolt of pain through Hue's skull.

"Agh…" Hue began to massage his temples. "Deus, I'm glad you seem to be fine given what happened with Chandler and Mewtwo but...please don't talk unless I specifically address you."

"As you wish." Deus said. "I am just another one of your pokemon after all."

Hue still didn't really understand what Deus meant when he insisted that he was just another one Hue's pokemon, but he was at least glad that Deus wasn't some psychotic alter-ego bent on destruction or anything morbid like that. He seemed to be looking out for Hue more than anything.

"Dammit…" Freddie said.

"Guess we have no choice but to let it out, Charmeleon. Use Dragon Rage!"

"Meleon!" Charmeleon let loose a large beam from its mouth as the fire on its tail burned brightly.

"Quilava, dodge it and Flame Charge!"

"Quilllava!" the Quilava agilely jumped out of the way of the Dragon Rage and its flames become even brighter than before as it charged into Charmeleon.

"Meleon…" Charmeleon lay on the floor of the roof of the Department Store.

"Charmeleon is unable to battle!" Gloria called, being aided by Aura so that she wouldn't drop either flag. "The winner is Quilava."

"Great job, Quilava!" Lindsey sang.

"I wouldn't celebrate just yet." Freddie said. "Go!"

He sent out Haunter.

"Haaaaaauuuunt!" Haunter hissed with a wicked grin, ready to do some damage.

"Haunter, Psychic!" Freddie yelled, not wasting any time.

"Lava! Quilava!" The Volcano pokemon struggled as Haunter lifted it up into the air.

"Quilava!" Lindsey called as Haunter slammed it into the floor/roof whatever one would call it.

"Quilava is unable to battle!" Gloria said. "The winner is Haunter!"

"Alright then." Lindsey shrugged. "If you're so determined to have a repeat of last time…"

She took out another pokeball.

"Go! Noctowl!"

"Towl!" the Noctowl snored as it rested on a nearby table.

"[Noctowl]." Dean stated. "The [Owl] Pokemon. The evolved form of Hoothoot. This highly intelligent pokemon often twists its head 180 degrees when it is thinking. Noctowl is a nocturnal pokemon."

"That's...not helpful when its the middle of the day…" Hue posited.

"Noctowl's eyes have a special power that allows it to see in the faintest light, as if it was the middle of the day." Dean finished telling Hue the Noctowl facts.

"Hanter! Psychic once more!" Freddie called out.

Hue felt a bitter taste in his mouth.

That Psychic attack was the only attack that Haunter knew that would affect a Normal type pokemon...but that Noctowl…"

"Sleep Talk, Noctowl!" Lindsey ordered.

"Noctowl!" the Noctowl hooed as it began to chatter until its forehead began to glow and it rammed into Haunter before she could let off her Psychic attack.

"Haunt!" Haunter gasped as the still sleeping Noctowl flew away from her.

"That was Zen Headbutt!" Lindsey smiled. "Face it Franks, I'm the more powerful trainer!"

"It's not over until it's over!" Freddie smirked.

"Haunter, use Psychic on the vending machine over there!" Freddie pointed to a vending machine that seemed to be completely out of lemonade.

"Toss it Noctowl's way!"

"Haunt." Haunter grinned as she lifted up the vending machine.

"Noctowl, Sleep Talk again!" Lindsey said.

"Noct…" Noctowl snored as it flew up for a little bit, and then landed on a table, letting a few feathers fall.

"That's...Roost I think…" Hue said.

Lindsey sighed as the vending machine knocked Noctowl clear in the head.

"Towlllllll…" The Owl Pokemon lay on the designated battlefield.

"Noctowl is unable to battle!" Gloria called again. "The winner is Haunter!"

"Great job Haunter!" Freddie smiled.

He turned to Lindsey. "It looks like this _isn't_ a repeat of last time." He said with confidence.

"Alright then." Lindsey nodded. "I'll use my trump card."

She picked up a pokeball and threw it.

"Go….Meganium!"

"Gaaaaaniuuuum!" The large green pokemon bellowed as it landed with a thud.

"Eeeee!" Gloria could barely contain her excitement. "It's the Meganium from the beginning of the year!"

"Meganium…" the Meganium smiled at Haunter.

"[Meganium]." Dean analyzed. "The [Herb] Pokemon. Meganium have the ability to restore dried up plants and bring them back to life with its breath, and the fragrance emanating from its flower petals could soothe any angry, hostile emotions."

"Meganium!" Lindsey smiled. "Sweet Scent!"

"Ganium!" the Meganium started to waft an enticing scent through the area.

"H-Haunt…" Haunter started to inch closer to the scent.

"Haunter, quickly, Shadow Punch!" Freddie called out.

"Haunt!" Haunter's Shadow Punch rocketed towards Meganium at top speed.

However, it stopped just short of the Herb pokemon.

"Ah-ah-ah." Lindsey wagged a finger. "No hostile intentions!"  
She turned to her Meganium.

"Petal Dance!" She ordered.

"Ganium!" The large Herb pokemon began to dance around, causing flower petals to whirl around it as it slammed into Haunter.

"Haunter is unable to battle!" Gloria called as the Meganium got off of a fainted Haunter. "The winner is Meganium!"

Freddie's confident facade was vanishing at an increasing rate.

"Farfetch'd!" He called out. "You're up!"

"Fetch'd…" Farfetch'd said.

"Meganium, Sweet Scent once more!" Lindsey called out.

"Farfetch'd use Air Slash!" Freddie retaliated, determined. "Don't let the scent reach you!"

"Farfetch'd!" Farfetch'd nodded as he began to use his stalk to slash the air, whilst also damaging the Meganium.

"Meganium, are you okay?" Lindsey asked.

"Ganium!" the Meganium nodded.

"Good!" Lindsey said with a smile. "Synthesis!"

"Niiiiii…" The Meganium began to take some deep breaths, and the various scrapes that had been left by the Air Slash began to heal.

"Don't let up for a second, Farfetch'd!" Freddie called. "Use Air Slash again!"

"Far!" The Wild Duck Pokemon continued to slash the air sending gusts of wind the Meganium's way.

"Alright." Lindsey smiled. "Let's end this farce of yours, Franks. Meganium…"

At that moment, for the smallest fraction of a second, Lindsey's smile changed from a friendly one, to a wicked one, and Hue actually felt somewhat afraid.

"Body Slam." Lindsey said.

"Ganium!" The Meganium jumped up and body slammed Farfetch'd to the ground.

"Farfetch'd?" Freddie asked.

Meganium got up off the Farfetch'd, revealing that he had met the same fate as Haunter, having been crushed to KO by the Meganium's weight.

"Farfetch'd is no longer able to battle!" Gloria said excitedly. "The winner is Meganium! Which means the victor is Lindsey! Yay!"

"Can I complain about a bias ref?" Freddie whispered to Hue in a joking manner as he returned Farfetch'd and walked up to Lindsey to shake hands and hand over some pokeyen.

"Good battle, Freddie." Lindsey smiled. "But as I've said. I'm the better trainer hands down."

"You've only won one more battle than I have." Freddie replied. "And my pokemon and I have been more focused on our cooking recently. It'll show when we wipe the floor with you during the Cooking Contest."

Gloria drank from a can of lemonade from Aura's bag as Hue paraded them around Celadon while they looked for both Freddie and Lindsey's stands.

"Berries were the theme of this Cooking Contest…" Hue said. "So I'm really interested to see what Freddie does about that."

"Can't we go to Chef Bailey first?" Gloria asked.

"We don't know where either one is right now." Aura told her. "If we reach her first, we'll eat her food first."

"Okay…" Gloria said as she returned to her lemonade. "Thank you for the lemonade."

"Just ask if you want another one." Aura smiled. "The vending machine we got them from broke and we ended up with far more than we planned to have."

"Mm-hm!" Gloria nodded with the can to her mouth.

"Hey Huey!" She said as she finished the can and ran up to Hue to tug on his jacket.

"I reffed that battle earlier today!"

"You did a great job." Hue smiled, tussling Gloria's long satin blonde hair very gently.

"Eeeee." Gloria smiled. "No one pets my head in Aspertia."

"I'd hope not." Hue said. "Only Didi, Mom, and I should ever be petting you on the head like that."

"But-!" Aura began as she put both her hands on Gloria's shoulders. "But she's just so cute, Huey!"

"Yeah Huey!" Gloria sided with Aura. "I want you to let Miss Aura to pet my head too!"

Hue laughed. "Oh, of course she can too, but only if you let her Gloria okay?"

Gloria nodded enthusiastically and presented her head to Aura, who began to pet it.

"You have really soft hands, Miss Aura!' Gloria chimed. "It feels nice!"

"Thank you, Gloria…" Aura smiled. "No need to call me 'Miss either'. You don't call Huey 'Mr. Hue' do you?"

"No…." Gloria gave a smile.

"Hey! Yoohoo! Over here!" Lindsey Bailey waved to the three of them.

They walked up to her stand.

"Hello you three." She said. "I'm afraid I never got your names earlier."

"Oh, I'm Hue." Hue said.

He gently pushed Gloria forward.

"Gloria here is my little sister."

"And I'm Aura." Aura tried to give a curtsey, but then realized that she couldn't anymore since she was no longer wearing hakamas.

"I keep them all in line and well behaved."

"That's my line." Hue rolled his eyes.

"Well, Hue, Aura, Gloria...do you guys want some freshly made Berry Juice?"

"You made Berry Juice?" Gloria asked as her eyes lit up.

"That's right." Lindsey said.

"Ganium!" Meganium walked up to Lindsey with some incredibly fresh berries.

"Meganium makes sure that the berries are at their freshest and ripest conditions." Lindsey explained.

"And...if you look over the counter…"

Aura, Hue, and Gloria looked over the counter.

"I know that one!" Gloria pointed at the pokemon. "That's Shuckle!"

"That's right." Lindsey said. "Shuckle's creating the Berry Juice in its shell."

"Shuckle huh?" Hue asked. "But doesn't it take a long time for the Berries to become juice?"

"Normally, yes." Lindsey said with a nod

"But thanks to Slowking…." Lindsey informed as a Slowking walked up to the Shuckle, passing through a strange psychic wall to do so.

"Trick Room helps all the slow procedures speed up."

"King!" Slowking arrived with three cups of Berry Juice on a tray.

Lindsey put a straw in each one.

"Go ahead, and drink up." She told them with a smile. "And if you really want a laugh, drink them while you head over to Freddie's booth!"

The Berry Juice was a mixture of sweet and sour and was an instant hit with both Gloria and Aura.

Hue liked it as well, but his mind was more focused on what would happen when they finally reached Fuchsia City and the inevitable happened and Aura would meet his mother. He hadn't told his mother about Aura, more for Aura's safety and to maintain what little secrecy she had left at her disposal, but also because his mother had the potential to misunderstand _any_ situation and then run with it. If she formed an opinion, that opinion was permanent and pretty much considered fact to her.

"We should almost be at Freddie's stand…" Hue said as he turned to face both Aura and Gloria.

Both women had Berry Juice on their faces.

"She put straws in for a reason you two!" Hue said.

They pointed at each other.

"It was _her_ idea." They both said at the same time.

"Gloria, don't listen to Aura all the time…" Hue said as he took out a napkin and wiped off Gloria's face.

"Aura...don't lie." He told Aura as he reached for a napkin, but couldn't find one.

He sighed and took off his blue jacket.

"I'll wash it when we get back to the pokemon center. Wipe your face off before the juice dries and gets crusty."

"T-thanks…" Aura said sheepishly as she used as little of the sleeve as she could to wipe the juice off.

"Sorry…" She gave a small smile.

Gloria looked at the two of them.

"What is it?" Hue asked her, noticing her head going from side to side.

"Hue! Aura! Swanson Sister!" Freddie called. "Over here! Come check this out!"

Farfetch'd gathered a bunch of sticks and handed them to Freddie, who then expertly skewered various berries and pieces of what Hue could only assume to be Tauros.

He then tossed them up to Haunter, who held them in her Psychic grasp while Charmeleon used Ember to heat them up evenly.

"Genuine Berry-kabobs." Freddie smiled.

"It'll go great with the Berry Juice you were just wiping off your face."

"I really don't get the relationship you have with that girl." Aura shook her head.  
"Well, we've been rivals for basically the entire time we've known each other. We were trained by the same chef at the same culinary school, and we've been in our friendly competition ever since."

Hue and Aura nodded.

Gloria took turns between sipping her Berry Juice and her lemonade.

"We'll now announce the winners of the Celadon Cooking Contest!" The judges said.

"In third place we have…."

A silence came over the crowd.

"Lindsey Bailey!" They announced. "And her freshly made Berry Juice, with a score of 27.7 points!"

The crowd cheered as Lindsey walked up to accept her third place prize.

"In second place….."

Again, an eerie silence came over the crowd.

"Freddie Franks!" They announced. "And his Berry-kabobs, with a score of 28 points even!"

"That was really close…" Aura whispered to Hue as the crowd cheered and Freddie walked up to accept the second place prize.

"Freddie only won against Lindsey by .3 points."

"They really do have a close competition going on." Hue nodded. "But I'm curious to see who could possibly have beaten them…"

"And...the winner of the Celadon Cooking Contest…" A drumroll began to play.

There was a much longer moment of silence.

Hue hated it when this happened.

The crowd was always kept waiting.

"Is Erika, your own city Gym Leader, and her Bluk Berry Salad!"

Neither Freddie nor Lindsey seemed the least bit surprised by this development.

Hue wasn't sure if Freddie had complained about it before or not, but Hue was starting to think that the judges might just suck up to any celebrities that decide to enter these things.

"And now for the winner of the Public's Chef award for this contest…" The judges said.

"And the winner is Freddie Franks! This is his 7th win of Public's Chef in his career!"

Hue and Aura clapped, cheering for their friend.

This was the award that Freddie thought mattered more, so they were both happy that he had won it.

"He did it!" Aura said, excited to Hue.  
"I know! He won!" Hue replied with just as much excitement.

Gloria's eyes began to sparkle.

Aura and Hue both looked at her.

"Huey…" Gloria said, with a glimmer in her eye that reminded him of his mother.

"When are you and Aura gonna kiss?"

Hue hadn't realized it until then, but he had been holding Aura's hand for possibly that entire ceremony.

"Oh, no…" Hue said, getting flustered as he quickly let go of Aura's hand.

"We don't have that kind of-"

But Gloria was no longer listening to Hue.

"She's only 10." Aura told him with a sigh as Gloria began to run off towards somewhere. "I don't see why you need to take her so seriously."

"I suppose you're right." Hue said, not noticing that as he led the way to catch up to Gloria, Aura began to bite her nail and look off to the side.

"Didi!" Gloria threw her arms around Diane.

"Gloria?" Diane asked, astonished. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in Aspertia?"

"It's winter break Didi!" Gloria sang. "I'm here with Huey and Aura!"

"Didi!" Hue yelled as he ran to catch up with Gloria. "Hi!"

"Hi Didi!" Aura waved as she ran in after Hue.

"Did you trade in Freddie for some sort of younger, prettier model?" Diane asked in a joking manner as she began to tussle Gloria's hair.

"How are you doing, Glory-locks?" Diane asked with a smile.

"A play on Goldylocks." Hue whispered to Aura. "Diane loves to call her that name."

"I'm having lots of fun in Celadon with Huey and Aura!" Gloria chimed.

She then huffed.

"But they _still_ haven't kissed yet." She said.

Diane burst into laughter.

"Well, they're probably too shy to do it in front of you." She said with an evil look in her eye.

"No, Didi don't do this…" Hue pleaded.

Diane shook her head before turning back to Gloria. "There are some things that you are just too young to see." She said.

"Right?" She asked.

"That's right." Aura said with an equally devilish grin. "Kids your age aren't allowed to see the type of kissing that Huey and I do.

"Not you too." Hue mumbled put his head in his hands.

"We don't do any kissing at all, Gloria." He said. "We aren't in that type of a relationship."

Gloria grumbled, for whatever reason refusing to accept the facts.

"She's definitely Mom's daughter." Diane laughed.

"So…" Aura looked around. "I don't see Miss Monotone anywhere."

"She's off training for the New Year Contest that starts tomorrow." Diane said. "You guys will be participating in it too, right? It's going to be a big one, and I want more than one person to root for. Just in case."

"Of course!" Hue nodded.

Aura gave a similar nod. "I've got my eyes set on a second ribbon!"

"Well, I hope you guys realize why I'm not entering…" Diane relaxed as Gloria sat in her lap.

"Why?" Gloria asked, confused.

"Because the New Year Contest's Performance Round is special." Diane said.

"Your pokemon needs to evolve during its performance."


	40. Contest of the New Year

Chapter 40:

Contest of the New Year!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Aqua Tail, Water Pulse

Espella(Eevee): Sand-Attack, Swift, Take-Down, Covet

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Ace(Pidgeotto): Mud-Slap, Roost, Twister, Wing Attack

Venus(Weepinbell): Poison Powder, Acid, Slam, Razor Leaf

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

As Hue and Aura began signing up for the New Year Contest, the doors opened behind them.

"Swanson?" The voice of an all too familiar person hollered through the room.

Hue cringed.

"Does the Red Lady mean me?" Gloria asked.

"No…" Hue sighed. "She wants me…"

He finished signing up the pokemon he was going use and headed over to greet his boss, Carmen Yiddle.

"What do you want?" Hue asked, peeved. "I thought I solved the Silph Co. Case…"

"About that…" Carmen grabbed Hue by the ear and took him to the corner of the Contest Hall.

Hue found himself staring at a boy that he didn't recognize.

"Have anything you want to say?"  
"Sorry?" Hue guessed was the phrase Carmen was looking for.

"Sorry won't get my father out of jail." The boy said, his expression very angry.

"Who is this?" Hue asked Carmen.

"This is Lee Callahan." Carmen said. "He's the son of the man you told Officer Jenny to arrest."

"My father wasn't even a suspect!" Lee raised his voice. "So why did you tell them to arrest him?"

"Because there was a bunch of evidence to suggest-"

" _Suggest_?" Lee gave a small laugh. He raised his hands and looked around the room.

"Imagine that!" He raised his voice more. "You had my father arrested because of some _suggestions_!"

"Look, kid, I don't think you understand what my job entails." Hue said, getting increasingly annoyed at this kid. "As a Detective, I look at evidence and draw to conclusions, and once I'm sure of someone's involvement, I tell the police to arrest him. If your dad was declared guilty, then he was most likely guilty. But if he still has a trial awaiting him, then it's entirely possible that he'll be acquitted. Either way, your beef shouldn't be with me."

"It was my _birthday_ that day." Lee said.

"Carmen, why did you bring me over here?" Hue asked, just wanting to leave.

"I brought you over here because I want you to explain yourself."

She held up a copy of the Newspaper.

 _Rocket Game Corner Explosion In The Night!_

"I know that this was you." She said. "I was only 10 at the time, but I still clearly remember this blast appearing on Cinnabar during the-."

She stopped herself from talking as Gloria approached with Aura close behind her.

"Gloria, no!"

She looked at Hue. "I'm sorry, Huey...She's kind of hard to keep tied down to a single area here…"

"Who are you and what do you want with Huey?" Gloria asked, fearlessly.

Carmen raised an eyebrow.

"She your sister?" She asked Hue.

Hue nodded.

"Maybe you should arrest her." Lee pouted.

"Callahan, if you aren't competing in the contest then go away." Carmen said quite forcefully.

Lee huffed and walked out of the Contest Hall.

"I'll just head towards Fuchsia then." He said.

Carmen shook her head and then turned to talk to Gloria.

"I'm a Coordinator in this Contest." She said. "I'm here to trash-talk your brother until he pees himself."

"That would be funny to me if you didn't actually mean it." Hue sighed.

"Well, I certainly won't lose to a rookie like you." She laughed.

"No the only competition I see here is _her_."

She pointed to a girl who looked like a much more feminine version of Diane.

She had long red hair, though it was cleanly brushed and straight. Her face appeared to be free from any freckles or blemishes, but this might have just been the work of foundation or something, and she was wearing a formal pink dress that reminded Hue of royalty.

"That's Monica Wright." Carmen said. "She's a traveling Coordinator who won the Grand Festival in the Hoenn region last year. She's aiming to win the Kanto one this time, and rumor has it she's travelling with a trainer who specializes in training fossil pokemon named Terrence Lovelace."

Hue hadn't expected to remember it, but when he heard the name Terrence Lovelace, he instantly remembered what Freddie had said back in Vermillion about Terrence being one of only three trainers to ever challenge Freddie to a battle.

"Carmen!" Monica raised a hand from across the hall.

"Ugh." Carmen rolled her eyes towards Hue and Aura before putting on the fakest smile Hue had ever seen and walking towards Monica.

"Monica!" She cheerfully said, once again leaving Hue, Aura, and Gloria to themselves.

"I'm going to get to see evolutions?" Gloria asked.

"That's right." Aura nodded. "You should send the pokemon you were given out to keep you company while both Huey and I are out there."

"Okay." Gloria nodded. "I'll send out BunBun to keep me company."

Hue and Aura shrugged at each other.

Neither one of them quite knew what a 'BunBun' was.

The waiting room was the most crowded Hue had ever seen it.

"How many coordinators move on to the Battle stage of this Contest?" He asked, his eyes wide.

"It says eight move on." Aura read a piece of paper on a bulletin board.

She looked around, before whispering to Hue.

"Hey, I'm gonna go change into my costume. I'll be right back, okay?"

Hue's first thought was the red floral pattern kimono that he had seen Aura in during the Cerulean City contest.

Hue nodded without saying anything.

If Aura came out of the changing rooms looking like _that_ again, he wouldn't be able to get coherent words out of his mouth.

"So Swanson's here too huh?" Twilight Church said as she approached with Cherry Devonshire right behind her.

"What is it Church?" Hue asked. "Here to see me defeat you for the second time?"

"You got lucky the first time." Twilight said. "Swanson, I'll be the one to take you out of the competition tonight. That is if Cherry doesn't do it first."

"We're aiming for it to be the two of us in the finals." Cherry said, confidently.

"Do either of you guys know who you're up against here?" Hue asked, actually losing his confidence as he said that.

"You're up against Monica Wright. Hoenn's Top Coordinator last year."

"Monica Wright is here too?" Twilight's eyes widened.

"Yeah. Carmen pointed her out to me."

"Carmen...Yiddle?" Cherry asked as she and Twilight looked at each other. "That famous pokemon detective?"

"I heard she solved the Silph Co Case over the pokedex." Twilight said.

 _Credit Stealer_ was the phrase that Hue instantly thought of.

"Great." Cherry rolled her eyes. "Let's count on our fingers how many threats we have."

She held out a hand and began to count.

"There's Monica Wright, Carmen Yiddle, Helen Lang, Ethel Ross, even though Twilight says otherwise, I'll include Hue Swanson...is there anyone else we need to be aware of?"

"I'm back!" Aura sang as she came back from the changing room in a hula skirt and a coconut bra.

"I'll be right back." Hue immediately turned around. "I think I have a nosebleed."

"Here, I've got a tissue…" Ethel said, approaching the crowd.

"What's everyone talking about?"

She looked at Aura's outfit and then went red.

"Now, I'm embarrassed to change into mine…" She said as she began to stroke her long white hair.

"I'm sure you'll look great." Hue tried to reassure her.

"Ahem." Aura fake coughed.

"What about me, Huey?" She asked. "It took a lot of courage to even put this on you know."

"O-of course you l-look g-g-g-g-reat t-t-to…" Hue stammered, going red, and finding it very hard to talk to Aura while she was dressed in her current apparel.

A genuine smile appeared on Aura's face as she looked down.

"And now for our first Coordinator, Helen Lang!" The announcer on the monitors said.

Instantly, half of the lobby was looking at Helen Lang on the monitors.

"Go!" Helen called out. "Tangela!"

"It looks like Helen has sent out Tangela!" The announcer said. "Let's see what she decides to do with it!"

"Tangela, Helen called, use Ancient Power and Ingrain to create an ancient-looking shrine!" Helen called out.

"Gelaaaaa." Her Tangela raised some earth and rocks and spread its roots throughout the stage to create a beautiful area that looked like belonged in the Ruins of Alph or perhaps it was an ancient shrine in the jungles where Mew, the rumored Ancestor pokemon, resided...In any case, the audience loved it.

Hue could even clearly hear Gloria's cheers along with some pokemon he didn't quite recognize. It looked kind of like a brown rabbit with a bunch of fluff over it.

"Now Tangela!" Helen tossed out a Rare Candy. "Evolve!"

"Tannnnnn….." The Tangela said as it caught the Rare Candy, ate it, and began to glow white and grow large.

"Growth! Tangrowth!" Helen's new Tangrowth used its newly gained arms to take a bow along with Helen.

The crowd went wild.

Hue hadn't expected Helen Lang to also be in this contest. Nearly everyone he had ever participated in a contest with was in this one. Davon and Karen were both curiously absent, but they had their own things going on.

"Next up is...Terrence Lovelace!" The announcer announced.

"This is Terrence's first contest everyone. He would like you to know that he's performing here at Monica Wright's behest."

"Is she like his dominating girlfriend or something?"

"I think it's rather parallel to Aura roping _you_ into contests, Hue." Ethel said.

Aura was about to say something that was most likely not anything nice, but Hue beat her to the punch, thank Arceus.

"Aura didn't rope me into anything." Hue explained. "It was more like my willingness to compete in contests gave Aura the boost she needed to sign up for them as well."

"Shush!" Someone said. "I'm watching Terrence!"

"And now Tirtouga, use Rapid Spin!" Terrence called out. He held out a rare candy and tossed it.

"Open wide!"

The spinning Tirtouga began to glow white.

"Ooooh!" Hue could hear Gloria say as the Tirtouga began evolving while splashing water all over the place, creating indoor rainbows.

"Carracosta!" the Carracosta said after it was done evolving.

The audience clapped as Terrence Lovelace left the stage.

"Helen!" Carmen said with another fake smile as Helen Lang entered the waiting room.

"How are you?"

"I'd be better if you could just be your normal self in a public space for once." Helen sighed as she walked past Carmen.

"Besides, I know one of them is here in the city, and I bet they're coordinating right now."

"One of who?" Hue couldn't help but ask.

"I'm looking for one of the three remaining subjects from NTR's large kidnapping crime eight years ago." She told him.

"Oh…" Hue looked around to make sure no one undesirable was paying attention to him.

"That's probably me…"

Helen nearly dropped her Tangrowth's pokeball.

"You?" She asked, almost starting to cry.

"What is it? Did I do something wrong?" Hue asked.

Helen shook her head.

"No...I did...I…"

She lowered her head. "I was the trainer that left the four of you down there…" She said.

Hue honestly didn't know how to react to it.

His first thought was: _so you're the reason I always need company_ , but that was far too blaming to be entirely true.

Before he could say anything, Helen had her arms around him.

"I'm so sorry that I couldn't save you."

"You saved everyone else though." Hue didn't want this young adult woman to begin crying.

"Thank you. You saved my best friend's life that day. And before you ask, no. I don't know where you'll find the other subjects."

"I'll find them…" Helen said as people started to notice and stare.

"I'll find all of you and find someway to make things right again…"

"You don't have to-"

"I have to!" Helen's grip tightened before she finally let go.

She looked at Hue with large and sad eyes.

"I don't like being the cause of another's troubles."

Hue caught himself wondering if Chandler would refer to Helen as a Player or a Piece.

"And that's it for Cherry Devonshire and her now Persian!" the announcer said, bringing Hue and Helen back to reality.

"And what was that about?" Aura asked.

Hue didn't understand why he felt so guilty about what just happened, but explained the situation.

"I see." She said as she bit her nail and looked away.

"You've been doing that a lot recently." Hue noticed. "Your little biting your nail and looking off to your right."

"Aura Jones, you're up next!" The announcer called.

"I gotta go." She said. "Wish me luck." She winked.

"G-g-g-g-g-" Aura had winked at Hue countless times before but never dressed like _that_. Hue found himself unable to even say 'good' let alone 'luck'.

"Nazono!" Aura called out as she went on the stage.

"Gloom!" Nazono said as she appeared from her pokeball.

The Weed pokemon started to create the awful stench that it was known for and the audience reacted as such.

This was apparently what Aura wanted.

"And now, Nazono…" She took out the Sun Stone that Hue had given her.

"Evolve!"

Nazono glew in a white light and actually shrunk a little bit, until the light lifted to reveal…

"Bellossom!" Nazono chimed. considering that she and Aura now appeared to be matching.

"And Petal Dance!" Aura called out as she and Nazono the Bellossom began to dance with petals following them everywhere.

"Add in some Sweet Scent just to be safe too." She let Nazono know, who nodded, and helped clear the audience of the Gloom stench.

The audience began to cheer.

"I love you, Aura!" Hue heard Gloria yell, enthusiastically.

Why was _he_ the one getting embarrassed from that?

The next few coordinators went on their turns.

Twilight's Spearow evolved into a Fearow...

Carmen's Eevee evolved into a Flareon…

and Ethel's Vulpix evolved into Ninetails…

until finally, it was Hue's turn.

"Next up we have Hue Swanson!" The announcer said.

"Go Huey!" Gloria cheered as Hue walked onto the stage.

Hue sighed. He hadn't planned to use it yet, but he didn't really have much of a choice.

"Venus!" He shouted as he sent out his Weepinbell.

"Evolve!" He tossed her the Leaf Stone and she began to glow in a white light and started growing.

"Victreee!" Venus the now Victreebel screeched.

The crowd went wild.

"I love you Huey!" Gloria called out.

It didn't feel as special as she had probably meant it to be.

Apparently not much effort was needed to entertain the masses when evolution took place.

All it took was a few Leaf Tornados and the audience was talking about how cool and 'deep jungle like' the performance was.

"And finally…" the announcer said. "Monica Wright!"

Monica walked onto the stage and sent out a

"Clefairy!" Monica called.

"Use Moonlight!"

"Fairy!" Clefairy darkened the room and began to glow in Moonlight.

"Now, Sing!" Monica called out.

"Clefaaaaaaaiiiiiirrrrrryyyyyyyy." The Clefairy began singing.

As the Clefairy sang some sort of ballad or lullaby, Monica tossed a Moon Stone at the Clefairy's feet and it began to evolve.

"Faaaaaableeee….." The new Celfable ended off the song.

Everyone in the audience stood up to applaud Monica and Clefable.

"That's it for our Performance Round!" The announcer said.

"Coordinators, please look to the screen to see which of you have moved onto the Battle Round!"

Hue ran to the bulletin.

Top 8.

He was looking for the Top 8.

Top 1: Monica Wright

Top 2: Helen Lang

Top 3: Ethel Ross

Top 4: Cherry Devonshire

Top 5: Aura Jones

Top 6: Carmen Yiddle

Top 7: Twilight Church

Top 8…..

Hue could hardly believe it….

He had just barely….

 _Made it_.

Top 8: Hue Swanson

He wiped his brow.

He had made it.

The _easy_ part of the contest was over…

It was time for the Battle Round.

"Coordinators, please look at the screen to see your match-ups!"

Match 1: Carmen VS Twilight

Match 2: Aura VS Monica

Match 3: Cherry VS Ethel

Match 4: Helen VS Hue

Hue gulped, and looked at Helen.

She had some really powerful pokemon on her…

He'd need to pray for miracle to survive even one hit against her…

He was in for one hell of a contest battle...


	41. Green City Elegance!

Chapter 41:

Green City Elegance!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Aqua Tail, Water Pulse

Espella(Eevee): Sand-Attack, Swift, Take-Down, Covet

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Ace(Pidgeotto): Mud-Slap, Roost, Twister, Wing Attack

Venus(Victreebel): Leaf Blade, Stockpile, Swallow, Leaf Tornado

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

Carmen VS Twilight was a complete fiasco.

Twilight mopped the floor with Carmen, her Scyther ridded Carmen of all her points while it simultaneously KOed Carmen's Diglett.

"You really have no choice but to admit that when she makes it past the performance stage, she's actually really good." Aura said.

"Next match!" The announcer called.

"Aura VS Monica!"

"Are you going to be okay?" Hue asked Aura, who had quickly changed back into her street clothes. "Monica is supposed to be really good at this...and she scored the highest in the performance round…"

"I'll be fine." Aura winked as she held up a pokeball.

"I've got a plan."

Aura VS Monica

"And here it is, our second match of the New Year Contest!" The announcer said. "Aura Jones of Saffron City and Monica Wright, Hoenn's most recent Top Coordinator!"

The crowd's cheers picked up with Monica's name.

"Aura's in for a tough time." Ethel said.

"Monica's known for her ability to quickly drain the points of any trainer she faces. You almost _have_ to take a more Diane-like strategy against her."

"I think Aura's got a good idea of what she wants to do." Hue replied. "And she very rarely is wrong in her strategies…"

"Go!" Aura and Monica both yelled at the same time.

"Karakara!"

"Jynx!"

"It looks like it will be a Cubone VS Jynx fight!" The announcer said.

"Battle, start!"

Instantly, both Coordinators had the same idea.

"Perish Song!" They both yelled at the same time.

"Boooooooonnnnneeeeee!" Karakara began to sing into her bone.

"Jyyyyyyyynx!" The Jynx sang as though it was in an opera.

The notes appearing in the air collided with each other and created noise that was rather unappealing to the audience.

Both Aura and Monica started to lose points.

"This might mean trouble…" Ethel noticed. "If Perish song was used…"

"Yeah…" Hue nodded, having no choice but to agree.

"If the battle doesn't end quickly...both pokemon will faint."

"That's never happened before in a contest." Ethel said. "But I imagine that if it did, then the judges would go to the remaining points to decide the winner."

Hue looked and Aura's and Monica's remaining points.

They looked about the same right now.

"Karakara!" Aura called. "Use Bonemerang!"

"Cubone!" Karakara threw her bone towards the Jynx.

"Jynx!" Monica called out. "Double Slap it back!"

"Jynx!" The Jynx's eyes sharpened as it smacked the bone away the first time, and on the bone's return trip, Jynx smacked the bone straight towards Karakara.

Aura's point bar dropped while Monica's rose a tiny bit.

"Karakara, catch it and use Retaliate!"

"Bone!" Karakara managed to catch her bone and lept towards the Jynx, knocking into it with full force.

Monica's point bar began to drop.

"Jynx!" Monica called. "Grab onto it!"

"Jynx!" The Jynx took hold of Karakara by her skull helmet.

"Bone! Bone!" Karakara struggled to get out of it.

Aura's points began to dwindle again.

"Now Jynx!" Monica called out. "Use Ice Punch!"

"Jynx!"

The Jynx held Karakara out before it with one of its large hands while it curled the other one up into a fist, which was gathering ice and frost.

It slammed its fist into Karakara, sending the Lonely pokemon flying.

"Cuboooonnneeee!" Karakara cried as she was slammed into the floor.

"Karakara!" Aura called out. "Can you stand up?"

"Bone…" Karakara struggled to get up.

"If you manage to get up, Karakara, use Fling!"

"Bone." She nodded.

Just as she got on her feet, a buzzer sounded.

Hue looked at the screen.

Aura's point bar had been completely depleted.

"And Aura's points have gone all the way down to zero." the announcer said.

"This makes Monica the winner!"

The crowd cheered.

Well, most of them did anyway.

Hue could distinctly hear Gloria booing.

"Our next match will be Cherry Devonshire VS Ethel Ross, so prepare yourselves!" The announcer said.

"What pokemon do you plan to use against her this time?" Hue asked. Remembering that Ethel had defeated Cherry in the Cerulean City Contest.

"I'll be using Ivysaur." Ethel said. "We've been training for this contest specifically."

The doors to the waiting room opened and Aura entered.

"I didn't quite make it…" She sighed.

"First the gym match with Erika, and now this loss...I think I need to get some serious training back into my daily schedule."

"You shouldn't beat yourself up over losing to a Top Coordinator…" Hue said, trying to comfort her.

"Still…" Ethel said. "Training is a staple part of being a coordinator, so if you decide you need more of it, it's probably true."

Then, having said what she wanted to say, Ethel very properly walked out of the room.

Cherry VS Ethel

"The match between Cherry Devonshire of Pallet Town and Ethel Ross of Viridian City will now commence!" The announcer said.

"Trainers, send out your pokemon!"

"Go!" Ethel yelled. "Ivysaur!"

"Go!" Cherry yelled. "Grimer!"

"It looks like this match is going to be Grimer vs Ivysaur!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Battle, Start!"

"Ivysaur, use Leech Seed!" Ethel called out.

"Saur!" Ivysaur shot small seeds towards the Grimer.

"Grimer!" Cherry yelled. "Avoided them with Minimize!"

"Merrrrrr…" Grimer burped as it shrank itself down to miniscule levels to avoid the Leech Seed attack.

Both Ethel's and Cherry's points dropped down a bit.

"Why are _Cherry's_ points going down?" Hue asked, sort of surprised. "She dodged the attack, didn't she?"

"She used a move that made it hard for the audience to see Grimer." Aura explained. "This is a pokemon contest. It's meant to show off your pokemon and their skills. Not your own."

"I guess you're right." Hue nodded.

"Ivysaur!" Ethel shouted. "Use Growth!"

"Ivysaur…." Her Ivysaur began to grow.

The audience cheered as Ethel's point bar rose up higher.

"Grimer!" Cherry called. "Use Sludge Bomb!"

The still mini Grimer created a large ball of sludge over its head.

Cherry's point bar began to rise again.

"Now, fire!" Cherry yelled.

"Grimer!" The Grimer fired the Sludge Bomb at Ivysaur.

"Ivysaur!" Ethel ordered, "Use Vine Whip to send the Sludge Bomb back!"

"Saurrrr!" Ivysaur yelled as it sent out a vine to smack the Sludge Bomb back at the mini grimer, who absorbed the attack and grew back to its normal size.

Cherry's points began to fall harshly.

"Don't let her defeat you, Grimer!" Cherry yelled.

"Let loose with a Mud Bomb attack!"

"Grime!" The Grimer slithered around the stage as it shot a large ball of mud straight into Ivysaur.

"Saur…." Ivysaur skidded back.

"Are you alright, Ivysaur?" Ethel asked.

"Ivy-saur." Ivysaur nodded.

"In that case…"

"Now Grimer!" Cherry yelled. "Use Sludge Wave!"

"Use Grass Pledge!" Ethel ordered.

As the Sludge Wave made its way across the stage floor to Ethel's Ivysaur, the vines and leaves from Grass Pledge sprouted up through the sludge, giving off the illusion that the contest stage had turned into a toxic swamp.

The attacks hit the two pokemon simultaneously, and caused both pokemon to skid back to their trainers.

The points were going haywire. The judges were unsure who was responsible for making the swamp illusion appear on the stage, but clearly whomever they decided was the responsible trainer had this match in the bag.

"Bzzzzzzzt."

The timer sounded.

"And it looks like time is up!" The announcer exclaimed excitedly.

"Let's check the monitor to see who moves on to the semifinals!"

Hue had never seen a match this close before.

The winning coordinator had only one by a sliver of points, if that even.

"And the winner is…" The announcer began.

"Ethel Ross!" Ethel's face took over the monitor. "Let's give it up for both our coordinators and their pokemon!"

"So we've still got Twilight, Monica, and Ethel to deal with if you win your next match, Huey." Aura said.

"And now for our last match of the 1st round...Helen Lang VS Hue Swanson!"

Aura put her hand on his shoulder.

"Hey, I'm gonna go sit next to Gloria…" Aura said. "That way you'll have more audience members rooting for you. You better not lose this contest Huey…"

"I'll try not to…" Hue began.

"But...I think you might want to take a look at who I'm up against…"

"What are you scared?" Aura gave a sly smile.

"Do you want a kiss for good luck or something?"

"I-" Hue could feel his face fill with color.

"I am _not_ scared!" He said as he stormed off towards the stage.

"And don't joke around like that."

Helen VS Hue

"And now for our final match of the first round, Helen Lang of Saffron City VS Hue Swanson of Fuchsia City!" The announcer said. "Trainers, send out your pokemon!"

"Go!" Helen called out. "Rhydon!"

"I choose you...Cooper!" Hue yelled as he sent out his Cloyster.

"Go Huey!" Aura called out from the audience next to Gloria.

"I love you Huey! You better win!" Gloria said.

Hue decided to lift his pokedex to Rhydon.

"[Rhydon]." Dean stated. "The [Drill] Pokemon. The evolved form of Rhyhorn. The large horn gives it formidable attack power."

"Then it's a good thing that we've got your nigh impenetrable defenses, right Cooper?" Hue asked.

"Cloy." Cooper nodded inside his shell.

"Alright, it looks like this match is between Rhydon and Cloyster!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Battle, Start!"

"Cooper, use Icicle Crash!" Hue ordered.

"Cloyst!" Copper shot a large icicle at the Rhydon.

Helen didn't say anything.

She just stared.

"Don….." Rhydon took the Icicle Crash head on.

Helen instantly lost half her points.

"Cloyster…?" She asked, looking like she was going to tear up for the second time in two days.

"Cloyst?" Cooper squinted at Helen.

"Cloyster…." He said as his eyes widened.

"I'm so happy you're okay…." Helen said.

"What's going on?" Hue asked, realizing he was very out of the loop. "Cooper, what is it?"

"Hue…" Helen said. "Where did you get that Cloyster?"

"Route 12, just after the Lavender Town incident…"

"Then…" Helen sighed and gave Hue a bittersweet smile.

"Take excellent care of my old Cloyster alright?"

Hue nearly dropped his pokeball.

"Cooper was _yours_?" He asked. "You're the trainer that released him?"

Helen nodded.

"It was one of the hardest things that I ever did, releasing Cloyster. But during the lavender town incident…his pokeball was hit with some lightning that Zapdos was creating, and I couldn't send him out without risking lethal damage to him...I decided that it would be best to just release him and free him from the constant possibility of death…"

Helen shook her head.

"And now here he is, appearing before me again...in the possession of yet another person I've unjustly wronged. It's as though Arceus is mocking me."

"Come on! Time's almost up! Battle already!" An audience member shouted.

The other audience members joined in.

"Battle! Battle!"

Hue and Helen looked at the monitor to notice that both their point bars were falling rather rapidly.

"Right…" Helen wiped her eyes. "We do have to do that don't we?"

"Ster…" Cooper nodded, almost mournfully.

"Rhydon!" Helen called out, "Hammer Arm!"

"Don!" Rhydon swung its arm down towards Cooper.

"Cooper, use Withdraw!" Hue retaliated.

"Cloyst!" Cooper withdrew into his shell.

"Now Rhydon, hit the ground!" Helen called out.

"Don!" Rhydon's Hammer Arm hit the ground, sending the withdrawn Cooper flying up into the air.

Helen finally began to regain some of her lost points, while Hue continued to lose them.

"Cooper, open fire Icicle Crash!" Hue yelled.

"Cloy….ster!" Cooper shot a large Icicle Crash at the Rhydon from midair.

"Rock Blast, Rhydon!" Helen called out.

Rhydon shot out a large rock that collided with the icicle and sent small diamond sparkles all throughout the stage, once again regaining some points for Helen.

A second Rock hit Cooper himself and knocked him back to the ground.

"Cooper!" Hue yelled.

"Are you okay?"

"Ster…." Cooper wheezed as he opened up his shell slightly to reveal that he was still in fighting condition.

"Bzzzzzzzt."

"And Time is up!" The announcer yelled.

"And it looks like…."

The crowd went wild.

"It's Helen Lang with a come from behind victory!" The announcer exclaimed as Helen's face took over the monitor.

"Let's thank our Coordinators for their first round matches, and get ready for the next round!"

"What were you and that lady talking about on the stage, Huey?" Gloria asked as Hue sat next to her and Aura.

"It turns out that Helen Lang was Cooper's original trainer…" Hue said.

Aura grinned.

"So the _pokemon_ she abandoned found its way to one of the _people_ she abandoned."

"Do you not like miss Lang, Aura?" Gloria asked.

"Oh, no, I do…" Aura smiled at Gloria. "I was just teasing is all."

She turned. "Though I can't say that I'm too fond of any of the _other_ remaining contestants in this tournament."

"I still don't get why don't like Ethel that much." Hue shrugged. " _I_ think she's nice. Monotone and sort of hard to read, but she seems friendly enough for the most part."

Gloria grinned.

"Huey, Aura doesn't like Ethel 'cuz she's jealous!"

"That is _not_ the reason!" Aura snapped, turning red.

Gloria grinned. "What do you think BunBun?" She asked the brown rabbit pokemon in her lap.

"Neary!" It said.

Hue raised his pokedex to it.

"[Buneary]." Dean stated. "The [Rabbit] Pokemon. By quickly extending its rolled up ears, it can launch powerful attacks against enemies. When sensing danger, it extends both ears as an alert, and when cold, it curls up and goes to sleep."

"So that's what that is…" Hue said. "I've never seen a Buneary before."

"There are lots of cool pokemon in Unova that you can't find in the Indigo Area!" Gloria said, excitedly.

"And now for our semifinals matches!" The announcer exclaimed. "Direct your attention to the monitor!"

Match 1: Twilight Church VS Helen Lang

Match 2: Ethel Ross VS Monica Wright

"We've got some powerhouses in that roster…" Aura joked.

"Match one will begin in a few minutes!" The announcer said.

"Who do we root for now?" Gloria asked.

Hue and Aura had different ideas on the matter.

"Root for Ethel." Hue said.

"Root for Helen." Aura said at the same time.

"Okay, I'll root for both of them!" Gloria chimed cheerfully.

Twilight VS Helen

"The Match between Twilight Church of Pallet Town and Helen Lang of Saffron City will now take place!" The announcer exclaimed, excitedly. "The winner of this match will advance to the final round where they will have the chance to win the New Year Ribbon!"

"Go Scyther!" Twilight called out.

"Go, Rhydon!" Helen sent Rhydon out.

"Scyyyyther…." Twilight's Scyther hissed.

"Rhyyyy…" Helen's Rhydon beat its chest.

"This battle is between Scyther and Rhydon…" The announcer said. "Battle, Start!"

"Spssst." Aura leaned in and whispered to Hue.

"Huey...when we get to Fuchsia...take me somewhere where I can catch my own Scyther."

Hue smiled. "That's the first pokemon you've asked me to help you catch that I can actually see you wanting to catch." He joked.

"Aww…" Aura batted her eyes. "You really couldn't see me wanting to catch all those cute pokemon earlier?"

"Well…" Hue turned to focus on the contest. "I mean... _now_ I can. But at the time, no not really."

Aura, satisfied, also returned to watch the contest.

"Rock Blast, Rhydon!" Helen called out.

"Scyther, use Agility to avoid them!" Twilight retaliated.

Rhydon shot out 5 separate rocks at Scyther, and Scyther expertly sped up to dodge all of them.

Helen's points began to falter.

"Scyther's really fast…" Hue observed.

He took out Dean.

This information would help Aura later anyway.

"[Scyther]." Dean informed Hue. "The [Mantis] Pokemon. Its claws are sharp as swords and it is a powerful flyer. This pokemon is rarely seen by humans and almost never captured."

"And you want to _catch_ one?" Hue asked.

Aura nodded as though this should be no problem.

"Now Scyther!" Twilight called out. "Use Vacuum Wave!"

"Rhydon, counter with Hammer Arm!" Helen called out in retaliation.

"Don!" Rhydon was hit by Scyther's Vacuum Wave before it could react with its own Hammer Arm.

"It looks like Helen is having a hard time getting a single hit off." Aura said.

"Are you sure we shouldn't root for the lady with the pretty eyes?" Gloria asked, in reference to Twilight's one blue and one green eye.

"I'm sure." Hue nodded. "Her personality is akin to that of a Tauros."

Aura began to laugh. "Huey, I think you just might have started off on the wrong foot. She's being really clever in her strategy against Helen, focusing on avoiding Rhydon's attacks and hitting fast so that Helen can't do the same. It reminds me a little bit of you to be perfectly honest."

"I'd rather not be grouped in with her like that…" Hue mumbled. "But if you believe that, I'll go against my better judgement and trust you. She might just be angry that her father is a janitor."

"You've met lots of people on your journey, huh Huey?" Gloria asked.

Hue smiled at her. "That's right." He said with a smile.

"Bzzzzzt." The timer sounded.

"And time's up!" The announcer exclaimed.

"The winner is…"

Twilight's face took over the monitor.

"Twilight Church! She will move onto the final round!"

Ethel VS Monica

"And here is our second semifinal match!" The announcer exclaimed. "Ethel Ross of Viridian City vs Monica Wright of Ever Grande City in the Hoenn Region! Trainers, send out your pokemon."

"Ivysaur!" Ethel sent out her Ivysaur.

"Jynx!" Monica sent out her Jynx.

Hue took out his pokedex. He wanted to scan Jynx in case he was ever the one fighting Monica.

"[Jynx]." Dean stated. "The [Human Shape] Pokemon. This pokemon has some very unusual powers. Its special attack is the Lovely Kiss, which puts opponents into a deep sleep. Jynx is known for expressing its many and varied feelings by dancing around in graceful and rhythmical motions."

"Looks like this match is going to be between Ivysaur and Jynx!" The announcer said, excitedly.

"Battle...Start!"

"Ivysaur!" Ethel called out with her arms crossed, not wasting any time at all.

"Use Leech Seed!"

"Saur!" Ivysaur began to spew seeds from the bud on its back towards the Jynx.

"Jynx, use Double Slap to hit them back!" Monica called out.

"Jynx!" the Jynx nodded as it began to slap at the seeds.

The Leech Seeds, instead of being slapped away, instead embedded themselves in the Jynx's hands.

Monica's point bar began to dwindle as some of Jynx's energy was sapped by the seeds.

The crowd that had been cheering for Monica began to start cheering for Ethel, who was apparently the first in a long time to get the first hit against Monica.

"Jynx!" Monica called out. "Ice Punch!"

"Jyyyyyynx!" Jynx's ice powered hand shot its way towards Ivysaur.

"Ivysaur, use Vine Whip to wrap around Jynx's wrist to stop the punch from contacting you!"

"Saur!" Ivysaur shot a lightning-fast vine and wrapped itself around the wrist of Jynx.

"Ivysaur, use Growth!" Ethel yelled.

"Jynx, use Lovely Kiss!" Monica called out. "Make it fall asleep!"

"Jyyyyyynx!" the Jynx puckered up its lips and leaned into Ivysaur.

"Now Ivysaur!" Ethel yelled. "Use Grass Pledge! Try to cut its lips if you can!"

"Saaaaaaauuuuur!" Ivysaur yelled as a giant pillar of grass shot up from the floor.

"Bzzzzt."

"Jynx is unable to battle!" The announcer exclaimed as Ivysaur let go of Monica's KO'd Jynx.

"Ethel Ross is the winner and will move on to the final match at midnight, signifying the New Year!"

Gloria and Aura were off buying concessions to eat while they watched the final match.

The finalists had been permitted to walk around and interact with the audience before the final match.

Twilight was talking with Cherry, as well as some people who seemed to be turncoats of Helen's.

Ethel was bombarded with fans of Monica, who were asking her a bunch of questions about her parents and whether being the daughter of a gym leader and the champion gave her an unfair advantage.

"Hey, Hey!" Diane said, breaking up what she could of the crowd.

"Leave the poor girl alone! She's not here to talk about her family. She's here to coordinate."

Hue got up to give her a congratulations.

"Ethel!" He called.

"Hue, hello." Ethel took notice of him. She smiled, but her tone of voice was still monotone and void of most emotion.

"Congratulations on making it to the finals of the tournament!" Hue said with a smile.

"If you win, you'll have all five ribbons, won't you?"

"That's right." Ethel nodded. "And then I can just cheer you and Diane on in contests afterwards."

Ethel looked away. "Well, I really should get back to-"

"Hey." Diane put her hand on Ethel's shoulder. "You don't get to leave until you ask him."

Ethel scuffled her feet to face Hue.

"So...Diane says it all the time...and so does Aura...and I know that I might be a little hard to read emotionally…but once it's midnight, it'll be January 1st, my birthday...so...if for no other reason than as a gift to me..."

She looked at Hue with a serious face.  
"Would you please allow me to call you 'Huey' as well?"

Hue could feel his face go red.

"Well...you don't really need my approval to do that…." He said. "But if it makes you feel better, then go ahead. Call me whatever you want as long as its not an insult…"

Ethel's smile widened ever so slightly.

"Thank you." She said.

Hue heard the faintest of happy tones.

This was the most positivity he had ever gotten out of Ethel.

After that conversation, Hue decided to scope out Twilight and congratulate her as well, trusting Aura's earlier analysis.

"Twilight!" Hue called out.

"Swan- I mean Hue?" Twilight asked, startled that Hue had called her by her first name.

"I just wanted to congratulate you on making it to the final round of the contest…" Hue said.

"After seeing you in action, I think you're a pretty good coordinator…"

"After seeing _you_ in action, I think you need to work a lot harder." Twilight huffed and turned away.

She sighed and gave Hue the first genuine smile he had ever seen from her.

"But I also think that when you do work harder, you'll realize that you have a natural talent for this. I look forward to the day I get to face off against you in a contest fight."

"I look forward to that day too." Hue smiled, relieved that Aura was right.

"Huey!" Aura called as she and Gloria returned with popcorn.

"I've got some popcorn for us!"

"Your girlfriend beckons." Twilight said with a smirk.

"She's not my girlfriend." Hue sighed.

He then noticed Twilight's attention was elsewhere.

"Hey, what are you looking at?" He asked.

Twilight's face went red.

"Nothing! No one! Don't look!" She pleaded.

Hue looked in the direction Twilight was looking.

He noticed Cherry was talking to Victor Grail, the red-headed trainer with a short fuse and violent streak.

"Who? Victor?" Hue asked. "The hell is he doing here anyway?"

Twilight looked away.  
"He's got this crush on Cherry…" She said, depressedly.

"And you have a crush on him?" Hue asked.

"I do _not_!" Twilight replied. "Besides he likes Cherry so it wouldn't work anyway…"

"Victor!" Hue called out, not quite sure how Victor would react to such a friendly greeting by someone who, admittedly, didn't like him one bit.

"Sh sh shush!" Twilight put her hand over Hue's mouth.

"What are you trying to do?" She asked.

Hue grinned.

"I just figured out what Diane likes about being in this position." He said. "I know you like Victor. I'm just going to give you a little nudge…"

"Ugh!" Twilight pushed Hue away.

"I should have known better than to even put a single sliver of my trust in you."

"Huey!" Aura charged up to him.

"I know I told you to talk to Twilight, but I didn't mean to skip out on your sister and me in favor of it!"

"It's fine." Twilight said. "Hue was just leaving."

Twilight VS Ethel

"Happy New Year, pokemon fans!" The announcer exclaimed. "We will now see the final battle between Twilight Church of Pallet Town and Ethel Ross of Viridian City!"

"So...Twilight's from Pallet Town, but her dad works as a janitor in Saffron City?" Aura asked.

"Maybe he only comes home once a week to give his wife money or something." Hue shrugged.

Gloria was falling asleep into her popcorn.

"Gloria…" Hue said.

"Hunh?" Gloria looked at Hue with tired eyes. "Yes Huey?"

"Return BunBun if you're going to go to sleep. She probably wants to sleep too."

"Right…" Gloria tiredly returned a curled up BunBun to her pokeball.

"Can I use your arm as a pillow?" She asked.

"Of course." Hue smiled.

"What about me?" Aura yawned as she tugged on Hue's other arm.

"Can I use the other one?"

"I'd prefer it if you didn't…" Hue said with a red face. "But if you feel the urge, I guess it's okay…Please try to watch the battle though."

"Got it." Aura smiled deviously.

Hue gasped.

"You're not tired at all, are you?"

Aura's grin widened as she beamed and gave a peace sign.

"Nope! Not even a bit! But thanks for offering your arm if I want it!"

"It looks like this match will be Scyther VS Ivysaur!" The announcer said.

"Battle, Start!"

"Ivysaur, start things off with Vine Whip!" Ethel called out.

"Scyther, retaliate with X-Scissor!" Twilight shouted.

As the vines and claws collided, it became quite apparent that Scyther's claws were a lot sharper than Ivyasur's vines were sturdy.

Ethel's point bar began to drop as Ivysaur quickly retracted its vines to keep them from being sliced off.

"Now Scyther!" Twilight called out. "Vaccum Wave!"

"Ivysaur!" Ethel ordered. "Use Grass Pledge before it moves away!"

Ethel's points dropped again as Scyther hit Ivysaur with a Vacuum Wave.

Scyther was subsequently bombarded by the uppercut that was Grass Pledge, and Twilight's points began to drop.

"Now, Leech Seed!" Ethel ordered.

"Scyther, dodge it with Agility!" Twilight called out.

"Scyth-" Scyther began to pant repeatedly as it sped up to dodge each of the Leech Seeds.

Ethel's points began to drop again.

"Ethel's points and Ivysaur are both taking a real beating out there…" Aura said, though Hue didn't detect any hint of worry in her voice.

"Yeah." He agreed. "She better pick it up somehow or-"

"Let's finish this off." Twilight smirked. "Hit it with a Slash!"

"Ivysaur!" Ethel yelled. "I don't care how, but _dodge_!"

"Saaaaaaauuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrr!" Ivysaur roared as it began to glow in a bright white light.

"Scyther!" Scyther, blinded by the light, pulled out of its Slash attack and cost Twilight a small amount of points.

Ivysaur began to grow to a much bigger size, and as it did, the bud on its back finally unfurled into a large flower.

"Venusaur!" Ethel's newly evolved Venusaur called out upon evolving.

Most of the crowd cheered at the evolution.

Hue and Aura both just stared, dumbfounded.

They both raised their pokedexes to scan.

"[Venusaur]." Dean informed Hue. "The [Seed] Pokemon. The final form of the Bulbasaur evolution, Venusaur uses its large petals to capture sunlight and transform it into energy."

"Venusaur!" Ethel called out. "Double-Edge!"

"Saur!" Venusaur rammed into Scyther with its entire bulky body, causing Twilight to lose points, but also creating a large cloud of dust from the stage that covered the monitor screen.

"Bzzzt." The timer sounded.

"This will be a close one…" The announcer said.

"We just need to wait until the dust clears, and we'll have our winner!"

The audience stared on in suspense.

The room went eerily quiet.

The dust blocking the monitor finally cleared away to reveal the winner.

"Ladies and gentleman!" The announcer exclaimed. "We have our winner!"

Ethel's face took over the monitor.

"Ethel Ross of Viridian City!"

Ethel gladly accepted the ribbon and she and Twilight shook hands.

Afterwards, the crowd dispersed and Hue carried Gloria back to the Pokemon Center with Aura.

The next day, Hue, Aura, and Gloria all said goodbye to Freddie in front of the pokemon center.

"I'm leaving to go to Saffron, and you guys are going the other way." Freddie said. "I guess we won't see each other again for a long time after this, huh?"

"We might see each other once or twice before the League…" Hue said. "But yeah, it looks like it."

"Goodbye, Gloria.." Freddie said to Gloria.

"Goodbye Feddie." Gloria mispronounced Freddie's name.

"Well then…" Freddie held out a hand as he turned to Hue. "Good luck."

"Yeah." Hue nodded as they shook.

"Good luck to you too."

"Aura…" Freddie turned to Aura and held out his hand with a wicked grin on his face.

He was going to try something, Hue realized.

"Don't be silly, Freddie." Aura chimed as she threw her arms around him in a suspicious hug that for whatever reason rubbed Hue the wrong way.

"Wah-" Freddie said, raising his hands in the air, revealing that he had placed a buzzer on his right hand in between handshakes. "Okay, can we stop with the hug, please?" He asked. "I really don't do affection, you know."

"Of course." Aura retreated. She smiled sweetly. "Take care Freddie!"

Freddie nodded with a smile and turned and walked away.

Gloria began to laugh.

Hue rolled his eyes and looked at Aura, who cheerfully beamed and gave him a peace sign.

"I win." She said.

Hue shook his head with a smile.

Aura had placed a 'Kick Me' sign on Freddie's back.

Birthday Look: Ethel's Current Team!:

Party:

Venusaur: Double Edge, Synthesis, Grass Pledge, Frenzy Plant

Butterfree: Psybeam, Gust, Stun Spore, Bug Buzz

Ninetails: Fire Spin, Flamethrower, Will-o-Wisp, Hex

Milotic: Aqua Ring, Mist, Echoed Voice, Aqua Tail

Gardevoir: Heal Pulse, Psychic, Draining Kiss, Wish

Eevee: Helping Hand, Swift, Refresh, Trump Card

W/ Prof Oak:

Lapras: Ice Beam, Body Slam, Rain Dance, Confuse Ray

Nidoran(Female): Poison Sting, Bite, Double-Kick, Fury Swipes

'Pets' At Viridian Gym:

Sandslash: Sandstorm, Crush Claw, Dig, Fury Cutter

Dugtrio: Fissure, Sandstorm, Sucker Punch, Earthquake

Rhyhorn: Rock Blast, Tackle, Leer, Horn Drill

Steelix: Iron Tail, Earthquake, Sandstorm, Dragon Breath

Nidoking: Earthquake, Poison Jab, Thunderbolt, Flamethrower

Golem: Explosion, Stone Edge, Magnitude, Rollout


	42. The Hit and Run

Chapter 42:

The Hit and Run

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Aqua Tail, Water Pulse

Espella(Eevee): Sand-Attack, Swift, Take-Down, Covet

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Ace(Pidgeotto): Mud-Slap, Roost, Twister, Wing Attack

Venus(Victreebel): Leaf Blade, Stockpile, Swallow, Leaf Tornado

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

"I want this one!" Gloria pointed excitedly to a sparkly light red bike that wasn't quite light enough to be called pink. It had the head of a Rapidash on the front and had streamers on its handlebars that Hue could only assume were the closest the designers of the bike were able to get to flames.

What was currently happening, at the gate to Cycling Road, was what Aura and Gloria both believed to be picking rental bikes.

Hue however, knew the tragic and underlying truth to the seemingly joyous occasion. The price for renting three bikes, no matter which bikes they were, would empty both his and Aura's wallets completely.

"Ooh!" Aura pointed to a blue bike with a Dragonair design. "How about this one for me?"

"Can't you guys just rent bikes without pokemon themes?" Hue asked with a sigh as he brought up his choice, a simple green street bike.

"I'd rather not be indebted because of something like this."

"Huey…." Gloria whined. "But I really really want to ride _this_ one!"

Hue couldn't help but smile. "Alright, we'll rent the Rapidash bike." He said, secretly cursing himself for not being able to say no to his sister.

"You're the best, Huey!" Aura chimed.

"Whoa, wait a second, who said you _both_ would get to rent expensive bikes?"

"Huey…" Gloria huffed. "It's not fair if I can have the bike I want but Aura can't have hers."

Hue put his hand to his head as he shook his head in shame.

"Why do I feel like you two are the siblings and I'm the odd one out?" He mumbled before giving an exasperated sigh.

"Fine…" He said, rubbing his forehead and hoping the total would at least be small enough to minimize the debt he would be in.

500,000 pokeyen was not small enough.

"How about we make a home call?" Gloria asked. "Mom might have some money to help us."

Aura slid Hue a sly glance, her piercing eyes making sure to intimidate the hell out of him.

"That sounds like an excellent idea." She said.

"Okay, okay…" Hue just couldn't win against these women.

"Huey?" Hue's mother gasped as she saw his broken arm over the video call. "What happened to you?"

"It's nothing." Hue lied as he smiled. "I just fell from a ledge is all."

"Hi Mommy!" Gloria shoved her face into the camera.

"Why hello!" their mother smiled. "How's my little Morning Glory?"

"I'm great!" Gloria chimed. "I'm here with Huey and Aura and we need money for bicycle renting!"

Hue braced himself.

His mother stared on in silence.

"Who?" She asked. "Gloria, did you say someone is with you and Hubert?"

"Aura is!" Gloria chimed. "Wanna talk to her?"

Hue slowly looked over his shoulder.

The look Aura was giving him was a strange one. It was as though she couldn't decide whether or not to let him know how badly she wanted to kill him.

"So this Aura is a girl?" their mother raised an eyebrow.

"Hello!" Aura said as she stuck her face in the camera. "My name is Aura Jones." She smiled a devious smile. "Your son and I pretty much live together. I'm looking forward to meeting you!"

"Hello Aura." Hue's mom smiled. "I'm Constance Swanson, Hue and Gloria's mother. I know he likes to _act_ like he's mature, but Huey is still an idealistic kid at heart, so please make sure he doesn't get into anything over his head. I look forward to your arrival in Fuchsia, as well."

"What about the bike money?" Hue asked.

Constance shook her head in disappointment.

"They really should make the bikes more affordable. I'll send some money your way."

"Your mom and sister are the best, Huey." Aura smiled a very, _very_ ironic smile.

"Why didn't you tell either one of them anything about me?"

Hue gulped.

He did not want to answer that question.

"Come on." He said, dodging it like a pro. "Let's go rent you your Rapidash and Dragonair bikes."

"Swanson!" Lee Callahan, whom Hue was prepared to never see again, jumped out in front of him right as he, Gloria, and Aura were about to head into the North Gate to Cycling Road.

"I challenge you to a battle! A One on One battle!"

"Look, I really need to deliver my sister back home to Fuchsia…" Hue tried to brush Lee Callahan off, but was again stopped before he could go anywhere.

"I'm not letting the one who got my father arrested leave the city without a fight." Lee refused to move.

"Huey wouldn't get anyone arrested…" Gloria tried to speak up.

Hue felt so guilty.

This confrontation wasn't something that a girl her age needed to see.

"Gloria…" He said. "Do you want to ref this battle with Aura like you did with Lindsey and Freddie?"

Gloria's eyes lit up.

"Yeah! Yeah! I wanna ref! I wanna ref!"

Hue gave Aura a nod and she took Gloria off to the side.

"The battle between my brother Huey, and whoever that guy is, will now commence!" Gloria chimed.

"That's not a biased introduction at all." Lee remarked sarcastically.

"Don't worry." Hue said. "She'll ref fairly."

"Trainers, send out your first pokemon!" She chimed.

"Go!" Lee let a pokeball go flying. "Lickitung!"

"Espella!" Hue called out his Eevee, eager to finally use her in a battle.

"The match will be between Eevee and Lickitung!" Gloria sang. "Battle, Start!"

"Sand-Attack!" Hue instantly shouted as Espella shot up sand at Lee's Lickitung.

Hue used the time Espella had bought to take out his pokedex and examine the entry for Lickitung.

"[Lickitung]." Dean stated. "The [Licking] Pokemon. It uses a tongue more than twice the length of its body to battle, as well as gather food."

"It looks like this thing's tongue is something we can't underestimate, Espella." Hue called out.

"Eevee." Espella nodded.

"Lickitung!" Lee shouted. "Use Supersonic!"

"Lickiiiiiiii!" The Lickitung screeched as sonic waves shot towards Espella.

"Espella!" Hue called out.

"Dodge and use Take-Down!"

"Eevee!" Espella jumped and rammed into Lickitung, causing it to skid back far.

Espella came back to Hue, nearly lost her balance due to the recoil damage, and then regained her footing and growled at the Lickitung.

"Veeeee…."

"Lickitung!" Lee called out. "Use Slam!"

"Espella, use Covet!" Hue countered.

As the Lickintung brought its long tail down, Espella bit the tongue, causing the Lickitung to wail in pain.

As Espella came back, Hue noticed she had managed to obtain an item that looked like the core of an apple.

"Leftovers…" Hue muttered to himself. "Good find, Espella!" He praised his Eevee.

"Eevee!" Espella barked, happily.

"Lickitung, I've had enough playing around, let's finish this off with a Power Whip!"

"You too, Espella!" Hue yelled. "Let's finish them off with Swift!"

"STOP!" The last voice Hue wanted to hear yelled.

Instantly, both pokemon ceased attacking one another as Lee, Hue, Aura, and Gloria turned to see Carmen Yiddle running towards them.

"Swanson!" She pointed at Hue. "Why aren't you inside yet?"

"Inside?" Hue asked, confused.  
"Inside the _gate_?" Carmen pointed to the North Gate to cycling road.

"Huey?" Gloria asked, picking up on the serious tone.

"Is something bad going to happen?"

"No, nothing bad is going to happen." Hue smiled. He turned to Carmen with a serious face.

"What is it?" he whispered. "I was just battling Callahan here, so I'm afraid I don't know what's going on. Furthermore…"

Hue looked at Gloria, whom Aura was entertaining with some sort of story, before he turned back to Carmen.

"Could you try to keep all of this on the DL when that little girl with the long curly blonde hair is around? She's my little sister, and she's still...you know...sweet and innocent."

"I…" Carmen didn't seem to know what to say.

"What's going on?" Lee asked, concerned. "Is something the matter, Detective Yiddle?"

"There's a dead body in that building." Carmen pointed to the North Gate.

She turned to Hue.

"I've already obtained jurisdiction over the case, Swanson. Fancy helping a gal out?"

"I'd _like_ to…" Hue began. "But…"

"Huey and I are _partners_." Aura said, as though she was explaining this to a two-year old. "We stick together in times like these through thick and thin."

"And I need someone to take care of Gloria…" Hue concluded. "I don't want her getting mixed up in all this."

"Don't want me getting mixed up in what?" Gloria asked, curiously.

"Nothing, nothing!" Hue and Aura both adamantly waved their hands.

"So…" Hue turned to Carmen. "I'll investigate the case, so could you look after Gloria while we do?"

"I...uh…" Carmen was getting flustered, and wasn't quite able to process what was happening.

"I guess I-"

"Thanks Carmen!" Aura hummed. "You're the best!" She quickly took Hue by his not broken arm and ran into the North Gate.

"Hey wait, I-!" Carmen called after them. She sighed.

"I never agreed to this…" She shook her head.

Gloria began to tug at her red trench coat.

"What?" Carmen asked through gritted teeth.

Gloria pointed to Lee Callahan. "He said my brother got his father arrested. Huey didn't do anything bad did he?"

"No. Your brother just did his job." Carmen said.

She quickly put her hands to her mouth. "Crap, I wasn't supposed to say anything about that was I?" She asked herself quietly.

"Job?" Gloria tilted her head.

She then crossed her arms in the manner she had seen Ethel do it only a few days prior.

"Well, it certainly doesn't pay well enough. We had to call home for money to rent bikes to ride down to Fuchsia."

"Why don't you guys just go down Route 12 into routes 13, 14, and 15?" Carmen asked. "You don't need to cycle."

"No." Gloria shook her head and looked at Carmen with sparkling eyes. "I must ride the Rapidash."

Carmen scratched her head.

She was a detective, but this girl was one case she was having trouble cracking.

Hue began to play the investigation theme on his pokedex as he and Aura entered the North Gate.

"Where's the body?" Hue asked a nearby officer.

"Over there." The officer pointed to a body lying near the entrance to Cycling Road.

Hue's first thought was how he and Aura would be able to smuggle Gloria through the building without letting her run into that body.

"You'll be taking it away soon, right?' Hue asked.

"It's already starting to smell." One of the workers said. "I suggest you look at it now while you have the chance, because I doubt the chance will arrive again.

Hue and Aura walked up to the body.

As Aura crouched down and began to examine it, Hue took notes of everything she relayed to him.

"The victim was a Clinton Strickland." Aura said. "A 19 year old male. Fair complexion, curly brown hair cut short, grey eyes. A little tall, muscular, wearing a suit."

"A suit?" Hue asked.

"If you want my honest opinion…" Aura stated. "I believe it's a suit to signify important power."

She turned back to the body.

"Cause of death was sharp force trauma to the chest, using what appears to be some sort of katana, but since it's missing, I'm not quite sure."

"What's this?" Hue asked as he noticed a piece of paper, clenched in Clinton's hand.

As he opened Clinton's hand to take what he thought was a piece of paper, he realize that it was in fact many tiny pieces of paper, and although they had once made up a whole sheet, they were now each nothing more than the size of confetti.

"This sheet had once been written on…" Hue said as he picked up the confetti pieces and felt the texture of note quite dry ink.

"I wonder what it said…" Aura thought aloud.

Hue handed her the pieces. "You're welcome to try and put it back together."

Hue's eyes darted around the crime scene.

He knew Aura would find out about it and give him flack for it later, but he couldn't help it.

He could feel Deus's desire to lend his aid, like he always had in the past.

That's when he saw it.

"Aura look at this…" Hue pointed to the floor, near the body.

There was a nearly empty spool of thread on the floor. A single red strand made its way out onto Cycling Road.

"Not red…" Hue said.

"What?" Aura asked, confused.

"That's blood on the thread." Hue said, confidently.

"Huey…" Aura huffed. "You'll give yourself another headache you know…"

"I'm getting kind of used to them…" Hue lied.

"In any case…" Aura said. "I've put the pieces back in place, Huey." She smiled sweetly.

How the hell did she do that?

Whatever. Hue looked at the reconstructed piece of paper.

"This is looking to be our easiest case yet." He said with a smile.

The paper read: _They didn't know the blade was bugged. Follow the thread._

"Interesting." Aura hummed. "This is the first time the victim himself has helped us out."

Aura and Hue followed the thread to the door, and noticed that just outside, there was a thuggish boy, in a suit, holding a katana.

"Hey you!" Hue called out.

The boy turned around, and his mannerism nearly threw Hue completely off track.

"Don't hurt me!" He squealed. "I didn't do it, I swear!"

"Don't give me that crap." Hue said. "The Akumu Bikers have been killing innocents on the road for years now. Don't think I don't recognize your suit when I see one."

"Huey?" Aura asked. "How do you know this thing?"

"The Akumu Bikers are a big threat in Fuchsia itself as well, they ride down Cycling Road, and some of them keep riding into the city."

"Well, I swear, I didn't do it!" The gang member cringed.

"I just saw Clinton's body and followed the thread leading here and found this katana!"

The boy held it up.

Hue then knew that the gang member boy was telling the truth.

He was wearing biker gloves, but this katana had very dark fingerprints all over it.

"This is great." Hue smiled. "We just need to run some sort of forensics test."

"No need…" The boy said. "I know who did it. At first I thought he was part of the Hanzai Bikers, but he didn't have a uniform on, so I looked for anything that might help, and I found this."

"You're under arrest for tampering with a crime scene." Hue sighed. "But before that…"

He took the slip of paper, that had been coated in blood.

"This is a receipt." Hue said.

"The name is _on_ the receipt, Huey." Aura rolled her eyes.

"See? There. It says-"

Hue was so surprised his cast nearly fell off.

 _Lee Callahan_.

"You've gotta be shitting me…" Hue sighed.

"What's the receipt for?" Aura asked.

"It's for….a gilded katana…" Hue read aloud.

"I will never understand people like him." He shook his head.

"He was so preachy about how my father went to jail because of-"

Hue's eyes widened.

He knew.

He knew what Lee Callahan intended to do by going to jail.

Hue still didn't fully understand, and certainly didn't approve, but at least it appeared as though Lee Callahan had finally decided to investigate into matters on his own, misguided as those efforts might be.

"You're back!" Carmen, completely out of character, threw her arms around both Hue and Aura.

She then tightened them so much they both felt like they were choking.

"You better have a suspect and some evidence for me…"

Hue and Aura both explained what was going on.

"That little-" Carmen stormed off in the direction Lee Callahan had gone, leaving Hue and Aura alone with Gloria once more.

"So, I hope you didn't have too boring of a time with Carmen…" Hue said to her. "Sorry about that, but something came up that Aura and I had to deal with."

"Oh, I know exactly what you were doing Huey…" Gloria looked down, almost shamefully.

Wait…

Carmen had told her all about their jobs hadn't she?

Hue wouldn't put it past her. She didn't seem like the type of person that looked out for other people.

"What were we doing?" Hue asked, unsure if he should have asked that question.

He knew before anything else happened that the really shouldn't have asked the question.

Gloria looked back up at Hue.

"You and Aura were doing the naughty kiss that Didi says I'm not allowed to see weren't you?"

Aura found this incredibly funny.

Hue found this incredibly annoying.

As the trio rode down to Fuchsia, Hue using Deus's power to keep his bike steady with one hand, Hue received a text from Carmen on his pokedex.

 _Callahan arrested. Is pleading guilty._

 _Might end up on parole._

"Huh…" Hue said as he stopped his bike next to Aura's and Gloria's in the rental returns rack.

"Through this gate is Fuchsia City…" Aura said, excited.

"And I can't _wait_ to see your mother in person, Huey."

Hue gulped.

He could definitely stand to wait a little longer.


	43. Fuchsia's Forgotten Grove

Chapter 43:

Fuchsia's Forgotten Grove

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Aqua Tail, Water Pulse

Espella(Eevee): Sand-Attack, Swift, Take-Down, Covet

Ace(Pidgeotto): Mud-Slap, Roost, Twister, Wing Attack

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

Arthur(Kirlia): Confusion, Disarming Voice, Magical Leaf, Heal Pulse

Bruce(Hitmonlee): Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

"Thanks again Professor!" Hue thanked Professor Oak as he received Arthur's and Bruce's pokeballs and sent Venus and Gumshoe in Oak's direction. "Arthur will be my key to defeating Janine here in Fuchsia."

"Be careful with that, Hue." Professor Oak said. "Arthur is also a fairy-type. He might not last as long as you think he will."

"That's why I've got Bruce coming over as well. He'll be my powerhouse if Arthur can't pull through. Thanks again for looking after Venus and Gumshoe while I'm here."

"Can you even send Gumshoe over to Oak?" Aura asked. "Doesn't he technically belong to the police?"

"He belongs to me." Hue said in a hushed whisper. " _I_ belong to the police, and in case you haven't been paying attention these last few days, try to keep all that stuff on the down low when we're around Gloria."

"Huey?" Gloria asked. "Did you want something from me?"

"Oh, Aura and I were just talking about a possible birthday present for you!" Hue cheerfully attempted to lie.

Arthur, who had been out of his pokeball, realized this.

"Kirlia!" He scolded, not wanting to see Hue lie.

"Sorry…" Hue told him with a genuine smile. "I'll make it up to you."

"Kirlia!" Arthur began to dance about as Hue, Aura, and Gloria walked out of the pokemon center.

"Huey!" Gloria said excitedly, tugging on his blue jacket. "Let's head home! I want to see Mommy!"

"Alright…" Hue sighed as he noticed the ever familiar and ever intimidating piercing stare that Aura was giving him. "We'll take you home so you can spend some time with Mom."

As Hue continued to lead Gloria and Aura through Fuchsia city, Arthur took notice of his emotions and slowly began to stop dancing around.

"Kirlia…" He said as he tugged Hue's jacket in a fashion similar to Gloria.

Hue gave a sad smile.

Arthur and Aura certainly didn't know it, and Gloria also probably was unaware, given that it happened when she was only around one year old, but soon it would be the anniversary of Gordon Swanson's untimely death.

Hue remembered being five years old at the time. He hadn't been kidnapped yet, and Neo Team Rocket, if it even existed at all, only existed as unreliable rumors.

Hue hadn't met Donovan yet, so it was just him and Diane running around in what was a recently re-opened Safari Zone. His father had worked really hard as a pokemon trainer to make enough money to buy what was once known as Pal Park from its former owner.

Reconstruction for the Safari Zone began immediately.

Hue remembers helping his father clearing out an area that was going to be terraformed to make habitable environments for plains-dwelling pokemon.

"Hey dad!" Hue remembered saying. "You know what would be really cool? If we could bring some pokemon from other regions into the Safari Zone too! Then the trainers that come here will be able to get even more pokemon that are hard to find in Kanto!"

"That's my boy…" Hue remembered his dad saying as he tousled Hue's hair in the same manner that Diane often did.

"Hey, no fair, me too!" He remembered Diane saying as she presented her long and curly red hair to be similarly tousled.

Every time Diane had tousled Hue's hair after their father's death, she had been thinking about it, and was probably putting all her energy into keeping a happy face.

Hue was not much different.

Whenever he had his hair tousled like that, he couldn't help but remember the feeling of his father's rough and large hand on his head, and his firm yet gentle way of messing up Hue's hair.

He was the one who helped Hue get glasses when the Swanson family realized that Hue could hardly see without them.

Diane had made fun of him for a month because of his strange glasses. It wouldn't be until they were broken a year later during an even worse event in Hue's life that he would find the design of glasses that he wore presently.

"Come here." Hue remembered his father saying.

"I want to show you something, Hubert."

Hue remembered following his father down a forgotten path into a thicket just west of the new Safari Zone areas.

It was beautiful. the plants had all begun to grow over an old building that belonged to the original Safari Zone.

"This is the place, Hue, that can calm anyone down and put them at complete ease." He remembered his father saying.

"You ever get really angry or sad, you come straight here. Listen."

Hue listened, and heard the sounds of Scyther flitting through the overgrown grove.

"The Scyther that live here sometimes appear to those completely at peace here." Hue remembered his dad telling him.

"And at night the Venomoth spread their powder in the sky and the Paras and Parasect retire to the ground, making it seem as though mushrooms have grown all over the place, and still you hear the sound of the Scyther. It's so peaceful."

"Dad…"

"One day Hue, when you're older, I think I'd like to battle you here."

"Dad…"

"I know…" Gordon sighed. "I know you aren't sure on what you want to be yet, but it doesn't change the fact that one way or another, I'm going to make sure you get a pokemon so we can battle."

"Okay but Dad…"

Gordon turned around to see his five-year old son looking at a Nidorino with a terribly injured leg.

"Oh no, not again." Gordon sighed as he bent down over the Nidorino. "It's those damn Rhyhorn again." He said after analyzing the wound.

"Riiiinoooo…" The Nidorino whined in agony.

"Here you go buddy." Gordon applied a Hyper Potion to the Nidorino's leg. "You just rest up here where it's nice and peaceful."

"Nidorino." The Nidorino sighed, thankful.

Hue remembered how the Nidorino would always appear in the Grove when he and his father went back there, without fail.

Hue remembered the last words his father said to him and Diane.

"Don't worry kids. I'll be back soon. Then we can go on a trip to the Sevii Islands with all the miles I'll get from the flights. I love you all very much, and I'll see you in two weeks."

Hue remembered his father kissing everyone goodbye, tousling everyone's hair, and giving a cheerful wave as he left for the Celadon Airport.

Hue remembered being the first one to the door when it happened.

He remembered seeing the lifeless body of his father, next to some mournful workers and police.

He remembered not truly comprehending what was going on as his mother and Diane both ran into the room.

He remembered Diane sobbing heavily into their mother's dress.

He remembered his mother crying as she released each one of her husband's pokemon into the Safari Zone that no longer had anyone to run it.

He remembered hearing that his father had gotten 'very sick' in Pastoria city, having caught a disease in the Great Marsh.

He remembered not understanding why no one was giving his dad any medicine for the sickness.

He remembered feeling like running away from home after he finally realized what was happening.

He remembered burying his parent along with his mother and Diane in the very grove that his dad had promised to battle him in.

A promise that could no longer be kept.

He remembered that the Nidorino walked into the grove that day, saw the grave, and lay there for the entire day.

He remembered how the Nidorino would always be near the grave whenever he went to visit.

He remembered how the police at the door attempted right away to take Diane, himself, and Gloria away from their mother, and how she had to argue and fight for custody by herself until Janine, the Fuchsia City Gym Leader, came to her rescue.

But most of all, Hue remembered the smell.

It was a terrible smell.

It smelled like a Skuntank, a Muk, and a Garbodor all decided to take a collective dump on a Gloom, all under an overlying odor of burnt plastic.

The smell of death that stayed in the house for two more days even though Gordon was buried right away.

That was what Hue remembered the most.

Hue was brought back to the present by Gloria chiming "We're here! We're here!" As she skipped around at the door to their house.

"I guess we are." Aura eyed Hue. "I also didn't know you lived in front of what used to be the Safari Zone."

"Yep!" Gloria said. "But we're not allowed back there. Mommy says we could get hurt."

Hue felt like crud having been thinking about his father for all this time.

"Hey, are you okay?" Aura asked as she put a hand on Hue's shoulder. "I know I've been giving you some stares today, but you do know that I'm joking when I do that right? I wouldn't want to worry you…"

"Oh, don't worry. It's not you or anything. It's just a certain time of year again. I...I'll be fine." Hue sighed. This was nothing new. It happened to him every year at around this time.

He turned to Aura as Gloria ran inside the house.

"Can we wait to go inside for a while?" Hue asked.

"Well, you better have something planned to keep me occupied while we wait." Aura gave a sly grin.

She stopped grinning when she noticed the look on Hue's face.

"Sorry." She said.

"Mommy!" Gloria called. "I'm home!"

"Hello Gloria!" Constance Swanson welcomed her daughter warmly. "Is Hue with you?"

"He and Aura are still outside!" Gloria said.

"Hi Mom!" Hue called into the house. "I'm taking Aura to Gordon's Grove okay?"

"Okay honey!" Constance called back out. "Spend as much time as you need there, but please do visit before you leave town! Thank you again for seeing Gloria home safely!"

"Gordon's Grove?" Aura asked, confused.

"You'll see…" Hue said.

He was starting to feel better knowing that he wouldn't be visiting Gordon's Grove alone.

More specifically, he realized, he was starting to feel better because he was about to show Aura _his_ version of PJ.

She would understand what it was like to be in his situation, he knew she would.

Of course…

There were a few other reasons why Hue wanted to bring Aura to Gordon's Grove as well.

The biggest of which was that Gordon's Grove was one of the last remaining places in Kanto where wild Scyther could be encountered.

The light shone through the thick brush that day, rays of sunshine lighting up various areas. Hue couldn't help but smile as he saw Aura's eyes light up.

"It's so pretty!" She said, looking around the grove.

"Why did you want to bring me here, Huey?"

"A lot of reasons." Hue replied. "The first one is that over there." He pointed to a small statue in the ground, in the shape of a pokeball.

Aura walked up to the stone pokeball, and knelt down.

"Hi, Mr. Swanson." She said.

"I'm Aura Jones. Your son and I are travelling across Kanto together."

Hue wasn't feeling happy by any means, but he couldn't help but smile. He hadn't seen Aura show this much respect to anyone in the months that they had been travelling.

Hue looked around, and wondered where the Nidorino was at the moment.

Heck, he wondered if it was even still a Nidorino anymore.

"Your father was a trainer too?" Aura asked, a little shaky.

"Yeah." Hue nodded. "He was a really good one too. He had all different kinds of pokemon, and didn't stick to just any one type or style like most trainers. He just raised whatever pokemon he happened to catch, and battled with whichever of them he sent out. For him, it wasn't the training or the battling that he liked. It was meeting and raising the pokemon that was his favorite part about being a trainer. You should have seen it, Aura." Hue looked up into the canopy.

"The day my father challenged the Gym leader for her position."

"But he didn't win?" Aura asked.

"No one won that day." Hue shook his head. "In fact, most people who saw the match would tell you that since it only ended due to an Explosion from Janine's Weezing, that my father deserved the title, but he just laughed, said that it was a fun battle, and proclaimed that Janine was an excellent gym leader."

"He sounds like a very kind person." Aura gave a weak smile, still staring at the stone pokeball grave.

"He was." Hue nodded. "It's almost the anniversary of the day we learned that…"

Hue didn't want to finish the sentence.

It was strange. He felt sad, yes, but he didn't feel the need to shed tears this time. Soon it would be the nine-year mark of his father's death, but being in this grove, and having a friend with him, it was too calming for Hue to even shed a single tear.

He felt as though he was finally starting to understand why his father liked this area so much.

It was reassurance.

Reassurance that even in the greatest of chaos, there were places of peace and tranquility.

Reassurance that even in the darkest places, light can shine through.

Hue was sad, yes, but he didn't feel like crying.

He felt like smiling instead.

He listened for the Scythers' wings…

And heard them creating the same sound they always made.

"The second reason, Aura…" Hue continued explaining why he brought her to the grove.

"Is because of what you can hear if you stand still, calm, and close your eyes."

Aura stood up from the pokeball tombstone and walked over to where Hue was.

She did as Hue instructed, and instantly opened her eyes again, with a glint in each one.

"Scyther!" She smiled excitedly.

"You'll have to be patient." Hue said. "But eventually, a few will come out into this area. They like going into the ruined building." Hue pointed at the old Safari Zone rest point.

Sunlight was shining in its open doorway.

Aura gave Hue a bright look.

"What?" Hue asked with a bit of a laugh. "You said you wanted a Scyther during the Celadon Contest didn't you?"

The sound of Scyther's wings become louder as a shadow moved in the old building.

"I'm just really glad I picked you." Aura said as she turned to face the building.

Picked me? Hue thought, confused.

"To travel with and help me, I mean." She explained. "You're still exactly like…" She seemed to realize something and shook her head. "Nevermind."

She turned back to Hue. "That's why I've decided that if I catch a certain pokemon, I'll name it after you."

Hue felt himself go red.

"Why?" He asked as the Scyther in the old building finally stepped out into the ray of sun.

Aura simply shook her head.

"Because you're oblivious, Huey."

"What, is it a Slowpoke or something?"

Aura bit her nail and looked away.

"It is?!" Hue asked, startled.

"Huey, how am I going to catch that Scyther?" Aura asked. "I...might not have the best set of pokemon to face off against bug types…"

"Purin's probably bulky enough to last regardless. You have Purin, don't you?"

"Eh-heh.." Aura sent out her Eevee, Sirius.

"I wanted to make room for the little guy."

Hue sighed.

"You know…." He began as he ruffled through his bag.

"I was hoping to save this in case I found a really rare or powerful pokemon, but since I have an overwhelming suspicion that Chandler already _has_ the legendary birds under his control, then...here."

Hue handed Aura the Master Ball he had received back in Saffron City.

"Just be sure you take extra good care of that Scyther."

Aura gave a beaming nod.

"Hey Scyther!" She called, getting the pokemon's attention. "Catch!"

She threw the Master Ball at the Scyther.

It wiggled three times, and then clicked.

The master ball then began to glow in a bright light.

"[Strike] the [Scyther] has been sent to [Professor Oak's] Laboratory." Aura's pokedex buzzed.

"Strike?" Hue asked.

Aura rolled her eyes and gave a smirk. "I never question your nicknames, Huey."

The two of them left the grove at around noon.

"So, let's go see your mother!" Aura chimed.

Hue could hear the malicious intent behind the happy tone.

It looked like she was still mad about Hue not having told his mother about her.

"Huey?" Diane asked as she and Ethel both walked up to Hue and Aura.

"Hey, Didi. Hey Ethel." Hue said. "You're here in Fuchsia too, huh?"

"Hello, Huey." Ethel nodded in her familiar monotone.

"Are you taking her to the grove?" Hue asked Diane.

"Not at all." Diane replied. "Though, maybe I should later…"

"Diane is excited to participate in the contest today." Ethel said.

"She know you two will be in it as well, and can't wait to compete against you."

"And you don't have to do a thing but sit back and watch, huh?" Hue remembered.

"Celadon was your fifth ribbon."

Ethel nodded.

Hue turned to Aura.

"We _do_ both need four more ribbons each." Hue said. "It would be a good idea for us to sign up and just do this contest before we make our home visit."

"Alright." Aura nodded, accepting the fact that they both needed more ribbons.

"We'll do the contest, but then I want to go straight to your place for a visit." She stated, staring Hue directly in the eyes.

Hue gulped.

Those beautiful dark green piercing eyes of hers always managed to send a chill down his spine.


	44. The Feelings Of Fuchsia City

Chapter 44:

The Feelings of Fuchsia City

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Aqua Tail, Water Pulse

Espella(Eevee): Sand-Attack, Swift, Take-Down, Covet

Ace(Pidgeotto): Mud-Slap, Roost, Twister, Wing Attack

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

Arthur(Kirlia): Confusion, Disarming Voice, Magical Leaf, Heal Pulse

Bruce(Hitmonlee): Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

"All set, Huey!" Gloria popped up behind Hue while he and Aura were standing in the waiting area.

Hue turned to see Gloria in a small brown dress.

"I'm gonna compete in the contest with BunBun!" She chimed cheerfully.

"Didn't you say that BunBun wasn't allowed to battle?" Hue asked, surprised at Gloria's announcement, but welcoming of it, since Diane was still getting into her outfit, and Aura had chosen to put her red kimono with the floral pattern back on from Cerulean, making it difficult for Hue to hold up decent conversation.

"Helllloooo!" Diane called as she entered the waiting room. "Didi in the house!" She hollered.

Aura, Gloria, and Hue just stared at her.

"You're wearing a wife-beater, an unzipped hoodie, and you have a towel draped around your neck." Hue observed. "Why was it taking you so long to change?"

Diane gave everyone a thumbs up. "I got distracted talking to some friends of mine over the pokedex." She smiled.

"I'm interested to see what you plan to do with a getup like that." Aura scanned Diane like a meal.

Diane grinned. "Just showing off my newest partner!" She boasted.

"Interesting." Aura smirked. "That's exactly what I'm doing as well…"

"Is this everyone?" Hue asked looking around. "Only the four of us?"

"Hardly!" Diane laughed. "A few friends of mine will be here any minute!"

"Sir Hue Swanson!" Davon called as he entered the waiting room as if on cue. "A pleasure to see you again, and the lovely Miss Aura as well."

Davon gave a bow to both of them.

"Diane had told me the two of you would be participating in this contest as well. I simply couldn't resist the temptation to test my coordination against you once more. Though, I aim to be victorious this time!"

He brushed his gelled hair back and gave a smile. "I've acquired more skills, and ribbons, since we last crossed paths. I now need only two more!"

"Wow, that's amazing!" Gloria's eyes sparkled as she walked up to Davon. "You must be a pretty good coordinator huh?"

Davon gave Gloria an inquisitive stare, then looked at Hue. "She looks a lot like you, Hue."

"Well she is my-"

Davon began to shake Hue's and Aura's hands. "Congratulations to the both you. I am a little curious as to how you managed to make her age so quickly, but anything is possible in today's world of modern machinery, I suppose!"

* _ **smack**_ *

Karen Walls hit Davon in the back of the head. "She's obviously just his little sister, you fop."

"Oh lovely Miss Karen, why does your love hurt me so?" Davon inquired.

"There isn't any love involved." Karen crossed her arms. "You've simply ceased to leave me alone since Vermillion."

"Hi Karen, long time no see!" Aura waved.

"No Freddie with you guys this time, huh?" Karen asked.

"He's busy with a Cooking Contest up in Saffron." Hue said.

He looked at Aura, who bit her nail and looked away.

"And well, to make long stories short, we don't want to spend any more time in that city than we already have."

"I...understand." Karen nodded.

"Is there anyone else coming?" Hue asked Diane.

"Nope!" She sang. "Everyone else is probably up in Saffron for the Cooking Contest. It isn't every day that Lindsey Bailey and Freddie Franks both cook in the same contest. If Ethel and I hadn't just been at the Celadon one, we would have followed them back into Saffron City too!"

"The food was really yummy…" Gloria put her hands on her tummy.

"I hope we can have more again later."

"Maybe one day when you're older and a licensed trainer." Hue said. "Now, I thought you said Bunbun wasn't allowed to battle."

"She isn't." Gloria shook her head. "So if I make it past performance, I want you to give me the Pidgeotto please."

Why was she only asking about this now?

Hue gave a sigh and handed Gloria Ace's pokeball.

"So, do we know how many people will move on this time?" He asked everyone in the room.

"It's a standard 4 coordinators move on contest." Davon nodded, still rubbing where Karen had hit his head.

"So I hope you've been practicing."

Crap.

Practicing for contests had been the very last thing on Hue's mind recently.

Unsure of what to do exactly, he decided he'd fall back on the first trick he had ever learned.

"First up we have Hue Swanson, from right here in Fuchsia City!" The announcer called as Hue walked out onto the stage.

He couldn't see her face in the darkness of the audience, but Hue could definitely make out where Ethel was sitting.

Not too far from her was his mother, no doubt waiting to see Gloria participating in a contest.

Hue thought it was nice that his mom was still getting out of the house.

She'd had some terrible luck when it came to losing family members and, although she was always kind and loving, maintained a certain level of distance from Hue ever since his kidnapping.

It wasn't as though she had started to avoid him or anything, in fact she would often ask how he was doing, but Hue could tell that she didn't quite know how to help him move forward from that event and, over time, began to allow Hue more space to do whatever he wanted.

However, she was _very_ protective of Gloria.

Hue could tell that it was Constance Swanson's mission to make sure that absolutely nothing happened to take Gloria away from her.

She didn't want to go through the pain of losing any more family.

But Hue wasn't on stage to think about any of that. Hue was on stage to perform.

He knew exactly what to do.

 _The audience loves seeing exotic pokemon, after all…_

"Go, Arthur!" Hue called as he sent out his Kirlia.

"Kirliaaa!" Arthur began to dance around.

"Now Arthur!" Hue called out, "Magical Leaf, and use Confusion to hold them in place as you continue to dance!"

"Liaa!" Arthur nodded as he created various colored leaves that he held in place with his psychic abilities while he continued to dance around and through them.

The crowd began cheering.

Hue could see the smile on his mother's face.

Ethel seemed to be staring with intense focus on what Arthur was doing.

Hue could have been wrong, and Ethel was a very hard girl to read, but it didn't look like she was enjoying what she saw, and Hue found himself wondering why.

"Now Arthur!" Hue stated once more. "Blow all the leaves away with a Heal Pulse!"

"Kirrrrrrliaaa!" Arthur hummed aloud as he began to emanate a strange and radiant energy that blew all the leaves around, before letting them gently fall to the stage floor.

Arthur took a bow.

"Kirlia." He said, sternly.

The audience erupted into an applause.

"What a performance by Hue and his Kirlia!" The announcer stated. "Let's see if anyone can top that!"

As Hue walked back towards the waiting area, the announcer announced the next contestant.

"Next up we have Diane Dorsey, another from our very own Fuchsia City!"

The crowd went wild.

"I still can't believe you're wearing that." Hue said to Diane in her strange wife-beater and sweatjacket outfit.

"You'll see why." Diane winked as they passed each other in the hall.

When Hue got to the waiting area, everyone was looking at the TV monitors.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Come on Cancha!" Diane addressed a pokemon wearing boxing gloves as she herself traded blows with it. "Keep it up with the Comet Punch!"

The crowd was roaring out with excitement.

"What the hell is she doing?" Hue asked, astonished.

"Didi!" Gloria called at the monitor. "I love you Didi!"

"She's sparring with her Hitmonchan…" Karen said, almost dumbfounded.

"Dammit Didi…" Hue shook his head.

It was just like Diane to do this.

"Huey…" Aura said. "I don't want to sound unsupportive, but Diane's kicking your butt right now."

Hue took that as a way of telling him to check out what Hitmonchan could do on his pokedex.

Hue lifted up Dean towards the pokemon.

"[Hitmonchan]." Dean informed him. "The [Punching] Pokemon. A skilled Fighting pokemon with an incredibly fast punch. Its moves are faster than the eye."

"Arceus." Hue said, realizing how often Diane would have had to practice to be able to not be knocked senseless by her Hitmonchan.

"Alright Cancha." Diane said with a grin. "We end this with a Mega Punch!"

"Monnn-CHAN!" Cancha, her Hitmonchan, yelled as his fist collided with Diane's fists and sent a wave of force over the entire stage.

The audience gave Diane a standing ovation.

Diane held her Hitmonchan's hand up as though she was declaring the winner of a boxing match before the two walked off stage.

Davon Le Rouge was next up.

"Are you ready?" He asked the audience.

They all cheered.

Davon nodded. "Well then, let's do this." He brushed his gelled hair back, reached for a pokeball, and threw it.

"Vaporeon, it's your time to shine!" He called out as he sent out a Vaporeon.

Since Hue already had Dean out, he decided he'd scan this Eevee evolution.

"[Vaporeon]." Dean informed Hue. "The [Bubble Jet] Pokemon. Vaporeon love fresh, clean water, and possess cellular composition similar to molecules of water, allowing it to melt away into water and vanish."

"What kind of OP natural talent is that?" Hue asked in disbelief.

"It's still got nothing on Umbreon." Aura said. "Umbreon is my favorite."

Hue looked down at Espella's pokeball.

He hadn't yet decided if he was going to evolve her at all, but if she was going to evolve, he'd rather it be without the help of a stone. Using stones made Hue feel like he was rushing things. He had only even evolved Venus because he needed to for the New Year Contest.

"Boo!" Gloria shouted at the monitor. "There's nothing wrong with just Eevee!"

"It's bad form to boo the other coordinators, Gloria." Hue said.

"But he evolved a perfectly good Eevee…" Gloria huffed.

Hue gave a small laugh.

"Well, Eevee is the _Evolution_ pokemon, Gloria."

"Hmph." Gloria squeaked as she turned away.

"Vaporeon!" Davon stated, "Let's start things off with a Haze."

"Vaaaaa!" Vaporeon created a large thick mist around itself, cloaking itself in shadow.

"Now Vaporeon, Aurora Beam!" Davon called out.

"Poooorrreon!" Vaporeaon began shooting incredibly colorful beams through the haze, creating one of the most beautiful auroras that Hue had ever seen.

"Now Water Pulse!" Davon yelled with a smile.

"Vaporeon!" Vaporeon shot a Water Pulse straight up into the air, and as it came down, the haze cleared into a mist.

"And Acid Armor!" Davon stated with a smile.

"Eonnnnn." Vaporeon melted into its own Water Pulse as the mist from earlier cleared, giving off the illusion of a disappearance. The aurora however, was still there.

Hue remembered what he and Aura had felt like when they saw Suicune, an incredibly rare and legendary beast pokemon, back at Cerulean Cape.

He felt as though he had just seen that pokemon again, though he knew this was only Davon and his Vaporeon coordinating.

The audience erupted in cheers as Vaporeon formed itself back up again from its puddle, and took a bow along with Davon.

Hue had a strange feeling after that performance, that this contest might actually be a close competition.

"Next up, we have Gloria Swanson, again, from Fuchsia City!" The announcer said as Gloria took the stage.

The audience cheered.

"Go, BunBun!" Gloria chimed as she sent out her Buneary.

"Bun! Buneary!" BunBun cheered.

"BunBun, use Splash!" Gloria called out.

"Buneary!" Bunbun hopped around adorably from place to place. "Buneary….Buneary...Bun….Bun…"

"Awwwww…." The audience said collectively.

"Now BunBun, keep up the Splash, but Defesnse Curl while you do it, and try to speed it up."

"Bunnnnnearrrrryyyy!" BunBun curled herself up into a ball and began to speed up her splash, almost ricocheting off of everything she came into contact with.

"Now BunBun!" Gloria called out, "Jump Kick the ground!"

"Buneary!" BunBun came out from her ball of fluff while she was high in the air, and her foot began to glow as she rammed towards the ground.

"Bun!" She yelled as the impact sent her spiraling back up in the sky again.

"Now, BunBun!" Gloria yelled. "Use Baby-Doll Eyes."

"Awwwwww!" The audience said again as BunBun spun in the air, looking at the audience with big, soft eyes, and then landed gently on the ground.

Gloria and BunBun both gave a curtsey before heading off the stage.

Hue was proud of his little sister.

That was loads more entertaining to watch than _his_ first attempt at a contest performance.

Karen Walls was next up.

"Go!" Karen called out. "Magneton!"

"Magneton." Karen's Magneton buzzed as she sent it out.

"Huey!" Gloria ran into the waiting room. "Huey, I did it! BunBun did a successful Jump Kick!"

"Great job, Gloria!" Hue smiled as he tousled her hair.

"Heeeee…." Gloria grinned. "I had a lot of fun today!" She looked around. "Aura's gone."

"She's up after Karen." Hue said. "She's waiting in the hallway right now. Didn't she say hi to you on her way there?"

"I dunno!" Gloria said with a smile. "I couldn't hear anything over the announcer's microphone...It was loud and fun like Didi."

Hue almost laughed at Gloria's innocent comparison.

"Well, no matter." He said. "Want to learn about Karen's Magneton?" Hue held up his pokedex.

"Mm-Hm!" Gloria nodded.

"[Magneton]." Dean stated. "The [Magnet] Pokemon. The evolved form of Magnemite. Its heavy gravitational powers allow it to and it can emit powerful magnetic and electric fields."

"Now Magneton!" Karen called out. "Let's keep this short and sweet, use Electric Terrain!"

"Magneton!" Magneton buzzed as it emitted a powerful wave of static electricity that managed to electrify the entire stage.

"Woooahhh!" The audience said as random jolts of lightning connected with each other from various areas on the stage.

"Now Magenton!" Karen called out. "Use Thunder Wave and then Magnet Rise!"

"Ton! Magneton!" Magneton beeped as it let loose another wave of electricity towards the floor, amplifying the earlier electric terrain.

The crowd began to cheer as the various sparks connecting with each other became more visible as Magneton rose further above the stage with its Magnet Rise.

"And finish it off with a Magnet Bomb!" Karen called out.

"Mag….ne...ton!" Magneton screeched as it shot a large magnetic ball towards the electric terrain.

The electrical explosion that ensued was one of the most spectacular things that Hue had ever seen.

The sparks and lightning that had been connecting with each other from the stage now went out all over the place.

Hue's and Gloria's eyes both widened, when they saw that the shape of the lighting explosion was that of various Magnemite all pointing more towards Karen's Magneton the closer they were to it.

The audience erupted into applause as the explosions died down, Magneton descended, and Karen took a bow.

"My my…" Davon said. "Now that was incredible. I best remember that technique, wouldn't you say Sir Hue?"

"Y-yeah…" Hue said, only half paying attention.

He was more interested to see what Aura had planned for her performance.

"And finally, we have Aura Jones from Saffron City!" The announcer cheered as she pointed to Aura, who was dressed in her red floral kimono.

Aura brushed her long wavy black hair back behind her ear as she waved to the audience with a confident grin.

"Go!" She chimed as she spun around. "Strike!"

"Scytherrrr…" Strike emerged from his pokeball.

"Now Strike, use Double Team!"

"Scythe!" Strike nodded as he created various apparitions of himself.

"And Swords Dance!" Aura called.

The Scyther began to dance around in a sparring-like fashion with each other.

"Scyther looks really motivated to hit its own copies…" Diane observed.

"That's because of Aura's outfit of choice today." Hue nodded. "Scyther, for reasons unknown, become furious upon seeing the color red. Strike is probably channeling that fury to make the Swords Dance spar routine seem more... _natural_."

"Now-!" Aura chimed excited. "Finish it off with a Fury Cutter all around!"

The Scyther clones all went at each other, slashing furiously.

It looked almost like a war between two Scyther armies.

Hue remembered the terf war that he, Aura, and Freddie had seen on their way to Saffron City.

Aura's performance here today had clearly been inspired by that scuffle, but only she and Hue would know that.

The audience erupted into applause.

Even though it was a standard dance routine for Aura, the crowd was beside themselves with joy.

It was at that moment that Hue realized that Ethel's advice of exotic pokemon didn't need to necessarily apply to only foreign pokemon. Native pokemon would work too, if they were rare enough.

Once her performance was finished, Aura and Strike moved offstage.

"And now we will see the four coordinators moving onto the next round!" The announcer chimed. "Coordinators, please look at the monitor to see who made it!"

In first place was…

Hue, with 25 points.

Davon was following after him in a very close second with 23 points.

Diane was in third place, with 20 points.

And finally, in fourth place, with 18 points…

Was Aura.

Gloria tugged Hue's jacket.

He had expected her to be sad, but she was smiling as brightly as she ever did.

"This was really fun, Huey!" Gloria chimed. "When I go on my journey, I'm going to Coordinate against you too right?"

"Maybe." Hue smiled.

Gloria was about to hand Ace back to Hue when he put his hand on the pokeball.

"Why don't you hold onto Ace for a little while longer?" He smiled.

"You like Normal types don't you? And you can actually _battle_ with Ace." Hue winked at his little sister. "But don't let Mom know. She'd get mad."

"Mm-hmm!" Gloria nodded.

Her eyes shone brightly.

"Huey." Ethel quickly pulled Hue aside during the intermission.

"Whoa!" Hue said, taken by surprise. "Ethel, what is it, why are you gripping my arm so tightly?"

"Sorry." Ethel said as she made sure that no one they knew was around and let go of his arm.

She looked him directly in the eyes.

"You didn't deserve that." She said in her monotone voice.

"It's ok…" Hue said, rubbing where Ethel had gripped. "It doesn't hurt that much-"

"No, Huey. You didn't deserve that _score_."

Ethel crossed her arms and closed her eyes.

She seemed to be thinking intently, as though she was a mother that had caught Hue trying to steal a cookie from the cookie jar and was debating his punishment.

"I suppose it can't be helped since the Judges aren't familiar with the Ralts evolution line."

Ethel opened her eyes and looked Hue directly in his again.

"But I would have thought you'd have realized it by now."

"I really don't know what you're talking about…" Hue gave a nervous laugh.

"Send your Kirlia out." Ethel ordered in her monotone voice.

She wasn't capable of giving the piercing glares that Aura gave so often, so for a second Hue didn't think he was being told to do anything, but once he realized what Ethel had said, he instantly sent out Arthur.

"Kirlia?" Arthur asked as he looked up at Hue.

"Mm-hmm…" Ethel stared intently at Arthur.

"I don't know, buddy." Hue said. "She's really concerned about you though. Are you feeling okay?"

As soon as Hue said it, Arthur collapsed into his arms.

"Arthur?!" Hue asked in disbelief.

"Kir...lia…" Arthur responded.

"We need to get him to a pokemon center." Hue told Ethel calmly as he picked up Arthur.

"No." Ethel replied. "He isn't sick, or injured, Huey." Ethel shook her head.

She sent out her own pokemon.

"Gardevoir…." Her Gardevoir said as it embraced her from behind.

Ethel brought one of her hands up and stroked her Gardevoir's hair, while still looking directly into Hue's eyes.

"Ralts, Kirlia, Gardevoir, and even Gallade to a small extent. They're all pokemon that share an incredible bond with their trainer." Ethel explained. "Your emotions are their emotions as well, only amplified further. Right now, your Kirlia is feeling the full brunt of any repressed feelings you might have uncovered recently."

Then, a miracle happened.

Ethel's often blank stare...intensified dramatically.

"Huey, if you keep focusing on negative thoughts and emotions, your Kirlia will become so weak, it will lose not only its will, but its ability to battle as well."

Those words were not something Hue wanted to hear.

"Is all that true, Arthur?" Hue asked his Kirlia.

"Kirlia…" Arthur gave a weak nod, and _smiled_ at Hue.

None of this was helping Hue move away from the negative thoughts he'd been thinking recently.

"Ethel, please, how can I stop this from happening?"

"I would have thought it obvious." Ethel continued in her monotone voice. "Think happy thoughts. Instead of focusing on any negatives that might be affecting you right now, think positive."

"I investigate a murder case almost every month." Hue said. "It's really hard to focus on the positive."

Ethel crossed her arms again, and closed her eyes when she said what she said next.

"If you _really_ can't focus on any positive thoughts then…"

Then...she did the same intensified gaze again.

It wasn't piercing and intimidating like Aura's instead it was a stare full of emotion. You could tell that whatever Ethel said with that stare was something she wholeheartedly believed.

"Then you should let Arthur go."

Those words felt like they could cut Hue's heart in half.

"I can't do that!" Hue protested.

"I...I can't do that…"

He was looking down so far that his glasses fell off his face and onto the floor.

"I won't...Because I swore...to never, _ever_ abandon a friend in need."

Ethel's eyes widened.

"The same thing…." She mumbled.

She looked at Hue once more.

"Huey, why did you become a _trainer_ specifically?"

"Because it was trainers that allowed me and the other Subjects to escape from that lab on Cinnabar Island." Hue answered.

"You admire the same trainers that left you to die?"

"They didn't know any of us were down there…" Hue shook his head, remembering his talk with Helen Lang during the pokemon contest in Celadon City.

"Then they aren't the cause of your abandonment issues?"

"I'm over it already!" Hue shouted.

Some strangers began to stare.

"Clearly not." Ethel said. "Huey…"

She put a hand on his shoulder.

"I don't mean to sound so harsh. I'm only worried about you. If there's _anything_ bothering you, please, don't hesitate to tell me."

"My arm healed yesterday." Hue said, immediately.

"Humans don't heal broken bones that quickly. It's pretty clear that my contact with Deus is speeding up the process of his takeover of my body."

"Then be sure that you don't let him succeed. We wouldn't want you to suffer the same fate as Subject 1." Ethel was keeping a surprisingly level head through all of this.

"Now, is there anything else troubling you?"

"My father died at around this time nine years ago." Hue said. "I always get shaken up when it's this time of year, because I never got to battle him in the grove like he promised we would."

"Hue...did you perhaps also become a trainer because you wanted to battle your dad?" Ethel asked.

She gave him the smallest of regretful smiles. "I became a trainer because I wanted to battle both my parents, though for different reasons. For mom…" _The Gym Leader._ Hue thought. Ethel continued"...it's to prove myself. For my dad…" _Champion Ross._ Hue thought. Ethel gave a small laugh. "For my dad...It's so I can save him."

Hue didn't understand.

Did Ethel intend to become the Champion of the Kanto region? He had always known she planned to enter the league, but he would have thought that she would want to avoid doing anything that would further associate her with her family, and what was this about saving her dad?

Hue had _met_ her dad. He seemed perfectly fine.

"I think…" Ethel looked up at her Gardevoir. "I _know_ Chandler will attempt to overpower my father." She said. "And I _must_ stop that by any means necessary."

"Ethel...you seem to know a lot of things…" Hue said. "I'm starting to get why Aura doesn't trust you."

"You're wrong." Ethel shook her head again. " _I_ don't know nearly as much as Aura knows, and I'm sure that even _she_ doesn't know as much as she'd like to."

She returned her Gardevoir and looked at Hue.

"Huey, what _does_ make you happy?"

"Protecting my friends, and knowing that I have or am gaining the strength to do so." Hue answered.

Ethel raised an interested eyebrow and fiddle around in her bag.

She pulled out a small case.

"In this case is something to give to Arthur when you feel an overwhelming need to protect someone you care about." Ethel told him.

"You mustn't let Arthur get close to it until then. Huey, I want you to think the happiest thoughts you possibly can until the time to use what is in that case comes, do you understand?"

"I understand." Hue nodded.

"Coordinators, come back! The Battle Round is about to start!" The announcer announced.

"The first match is….Hue VS Diane!"

"Looks like I'll be happy no matter who wins." Ethel said in her same old monotone voice, though she did have the slightest smile.

"Say Ethel…" Hue said as he picked up his glasses, returned Arthur, hoping with all his heart that happy thoughts really were all he needed to get better, and walked towards the Contest Hall again.

"You're always helping me out….and I'm really grateful for it, but I'll just use that favor I won off of you back in Viridian City if I _need_ it, so…"

Hue turned back.

"Why do you continue to help me like this?"

"Because…" Ethel gave Hue one last intense stare.

"Because I swore the same thing, Huey." Ethel's voice was in her familiar monotone, but Hue could see her trying to put as much emotion as she could into it.

It was at that moment that Hue _knew_ Arthur would get better.

The Contest itself was over rather quickly, and without much event. Davon's Poliwhirl and then Diane's Onix both fell rather quickly against Aura and Nazono the Bellossom.

Aura received her Second Ribbon with the same Aura-ness that she usually exuded.

Hue looked at Espella, his Eevee, who had just lost her battle with Diane's Onix, Nixor.

"It'll be okay, Espella." Hue smiled. "You're very well suited for regular battles. Why don't I use you in my gym battle against Janine when it comes up?"

"Eevee!" Espella wagged her tail in happiness.

Hue smiled again.

This was good. Seeing his pokemon happy made him happy, which would help bring Arthur back to fighting condition.

"Argh, I was so close!" Diane said with a grin as she, Aura, Hue, Gloria, and Constance Swanson all headed towards the Swanson Residence. Ethel had scheduled a Gym Appointment so it was just the Swanson Family and Aura at the moment. "But dang Aura, you're really good at this stuff." Diane laughed.

"I _do_ practice it a lot in the early mornings." Aura said with a sly grin as she put the Fuchsia Ribbon in a small case, which now contained all her accumulated badges and ribbons. "Though I make sure not to wake Huey up until it's at least 7:00."

"Liar." Hue grinned. "You wake me up at 6:00 every morning when you come barging back from wherever you went to train."

"So…" Gloria's eyes flickered. "Huey pretends to be asleep so that Aura will wake him up!"

"No that's-" Hue tried to deny it, but…

"He can't help it." Aura grinned. "He's a growing boy after all."

The women around him all laughed, his mother included.

"Mom...you too?" Hue asked, at a loss for words.

"Sorry Hun." Constance said. "But everyone needs to be laughed at now and again. I promise we won't pick on you too much."

She turned to Diane and Gloria.

"Honestly you two, I can't believe that brother of yours…"

She turned back to Hue. "Were you really so afraid of us not getting along that you kept your girlfriend a secret from us?"

"She's not my-" Hue looked to Aura to help, but he could see that Aura had her own agenda this time.

"Yeah _Huey_ …" Aura's piercing eyes tore into his being as though her gaze was going to rip him open. "Why _did_ you keep me a secret?"

Hue gave a long sigh.

This was going to be one of those days, wasn't it?


	45. The Swansons And The Safari Zone

Chapter 45:

The Swansons And The Safari Zone:

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Aqua Tail, Water Pulse

Espella(Eevee): Sand-Attack, Swift, Take-Down, Covet

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

Arthur(Kirlia): Confusion, Disarming Voice, Magical Leaf, Heal Pulse

Bruce(Hitmonlee): Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

Hue both loved and hated his family.

Sometimes one emotion was stronger than the other.

This happened to be a time where hate was just slightly above love.

To make matters worse, Aura was being just as bad as the women, and Donovan was probably still up in Saffron City, blissfully unaware that his best friend was being torn into by his own family of gossiping girls.

"So how long have the two of you been together?" Constance asked Aura, her eyes sparkling like Gloria's.

"We've been together since day 1." Aura smiled, eyeing Hue deviously, choosing her words carefully so that she wasn't technically lying. She clearly intended to make this hell for him.

"Haven't we Huey?" She asked sweetly.

Hue gave a similar resentful smile back, but didn't answer.

If this was the immature game that Aura wanted to play today then she could play it. She'd get tired and give up eventually.

"Well, I certainly hope he's not causing you too much trouble-" Constance began to say but was interrupted by Diane's ability to keep her laughter quiet any longer.

"What's so funny, Diane?"

"Mom, please.. Just...never change okay?"

Constance didn't understand what her adopted daughter meant, but Gloria tugged on Constance's dress, ready to explain.

"Mommy! Mommy! Huey's the responsible one, and Aura's the fun one." She beamed with her explanation.

Constance then adopted a similar look to Aura and spoke in a similar tone.

"Hue honey, why would an apparently responsible child like you neglect to mention your new girlfriend to me?"

"First of all…" Hue said. "Neither one of us ever said that we were boyfriend and girlfriend, because we aren't. We only travel together. Second of all, the reason I haven't let you know is because Aura wants to uncover the identity of the boss of NTR and arrest him."

Constance stood up quickly, silencing Diane's laughter and causing a concerned expression to take over Gloria's face.

"Hubert Swanson!" Constance was ready to go full mom mode on him. "You told me when you, Diane, and Donovan left for Pallet Town that you absolutely would not go looking for trouble, especially not trouble involving NTR!"

She protectively moved in front of Gloria.

"You didn't put her through anything terrible did you?"

"No, no we were extra careful!" Aura had abandoned trying to embarrass Hue and had now decided that he needed at least one person to help him out of his newfound trouble.

"What's NTR?" Gloria asked innocently.

"Nothing you ever need to worry about sweetie." Constance kissed Gloria on the head as she began to hug her.

"I suppose now probably isn't the best time to tell you that I'm also a detective that tends to investigate cases of homicide."

"What's homicide?" Gloria asked Constance, rather curious.

Constance gave Hue a menacing stare.

"Diane…" She said through gritted teeth. "Stay here with Gloria while I talk to your brother alone."

Diane nodded, and waited until Constance and Hue had left the room.

"Hey Glory-locks." She said. "Let's play a game. I know you like 20 questions."

"Where did Huey and Mommy go?"

"Huey's probably in trouble." Diane said. "He's been keeping a lot of things secret from us."

"Like Aura?" Gloria asked.

Diane nodded. "Well, as far as secrets go, that one isn't that bad." Diane said. "I think Mom's most worried about Hue's safety judging from her reaction to his other little reveals."

"But Huey isn't a bad person is he?" Gloria asked.

"Oh, absolutely not." Diane laughed. "You should know that, Glory-locks." She tousled Gloria's hair. "Now come on. Let's not talk about that. Let's talk about you instead. You having fun at Aspertia?"

"Yeah!" Gloria chimed.

"I'm at the top of my class in school! My teachers say that I'm the most naturally talented they've seen in decades!"

"That's great, Glory-locks!" Diane beamed.

Gloria looked around. "Hey Didi...wasn't Aura supposed to be with us?"

"She…" Diane looked around.

"Yeah, where did she go?"

"I want you to tell me why, Hue." Constance sighed as she took an aspirin. "Jeez, all you kids are going to give me more migraines than I can bare, aren't you?"

"I'm sorry…" Hue tilted his head down. "It isn't like I meant to get mixed up in all of this stuff again you know, Mom."

"I know…" Constance shook her head. "You didn't ask to be kidnapped eight years ago. You didn't ask to run into NTR again. But...I just don't understand why you're _continuing_ to run into them."

"I really, and I mean I _really_ don't want to, but I have to." Hue said. Constance gave him a look.

"And why is that?" She asked.

Hue paused before responding "Because…" Hue felt embarrassed saying it, but he didn't like lying to his mother. "Because I don't want Aura to make _that face_ …She gets this look in her eyes that look just like Chandler's when we run into them... Crazed and hostile, with hidden layers of fear. And I can't bear to see someone that important to me look like that."

A sudden gasp caused Hue and Constance to both look out into the hallway.

Aura peeked around the corner to check if the coast was clear.

It was not.

"What are you doing?" Hue asked.

Aura shuffled into the room where Hue and Constance were.

"I-...I'm sorry Ms. Swanson." Aura gave an apologetic bow. "It's all my fault that your son is mixed up in this mess. Please don't be mad at him. Be mad at me instead."

"I'm sorry, Aura." Constance said. "But you aren't my child. I have no right to get mad at you."

She turned to Hue.

"You never change do you?" She asked. "I bet if you gave me your word to stay away from NTR from now on, you'd end up involved with them again anyway wouldn't you?"

"Well…" Hue began. "They do sort of know who we are now…"

"Then there's only two things I want to ask of you." Constance said as she pulled Hue into a tight hug.

Hue's eyes widened.

This was the tightest hug he had received from his mother in years.

The last time he was hugged this tightly by his mother was…

Right after the kidnapping incident...

"The first is to not under any circumstances let Gloria get involved in any of this. Don't ever mention her name in front of any NTR member, especially not Chandler." Constance spoke into Hue's ear. "If anything inevitable happens and Gloria is put in even the _slightest_ danger, we're sending her to live full time at her school dorms in Unova, do you understand?"

"I understand…" Hue said.

"The second thing, and Hue this is incredibly important." Constance said. "I need you to promise me, and give me your complete word, that you'll come back to me in one piece when it's all over."

She planted many rapid kisses on his head. "Oh, my baby boy…" She said through tears. "My beautiful baby boy… please promise your mother that you'll come home to her. I don't have it in me to go through losing you all over again…"

"I promise…" Hue promised. He was trying his hardest not to cry. Not while Aura was watching anyway.

"I love you very much dear." Constance said as she kissed Hue one more time. "More than you'll ever know."

"I love you too, Mom…" Hue responded.

"I love you too."

After the two separated, Hue spoke up. "I think Aura and I will go for a walk, maybe head into the Safari Zone, what's important is that we'll be back for dinner."

"Very well." Constance smiled as she wiped her tears. "Have fun and stay safe."

"We will." Hue nodded as he and Aura left the house.

Hue and Aura walked in silence for a while.

Hue was the first one to break it. "So…You said there was a pokemon you really wanted to catch in the Safari Zone right? Back in Cerulean?"

"Yeah…" Aura nodded. She bit her nail and looked away.

"The one that'll be name after you…"

Hue could feel himself blushing.

"I hope you don't expect me to do the same for you…"

"I'd be insulted if you did." Aura gave him a piercing stare.

"In any case…" Hue responded. "I also want to head into the Safari Zone. I didn't see the Nidorino that normally sits at Dad's grave, so I'm going to go look for it. The guard at the gate will let me in, and if I explain everything to him, he'll probably let you in too. But there is something else…"

"What?" Aura asked.

"No battles in the Safari Zone. Rocks, Bait, and Safari Balls only."

"I can handle that." Aura nodded.

"And, thank you again Huey." She gave him a very rare (for Aura anyways), warm and caring smile.

"For all that you're doing for me."

"Heheh…" Hue nervously laughed as he looked away. "Don't mention it."

The Safari Zone was vast. Even though it was, technically, not open to the public, Hue was able to use his family name to get in. He didn't like doing it, but he couldn't help but feel concerned for that Nidorino.

"I'm going to go look over there for your namesake pokemon!" Aura exclaimed as she pointed to a lake off in the distance.

 _It is a Slowpoke isn't it_? Hue thought to himself as he gave an affirming nod. "I'll be looking around the plains and mountains areas, so let's meet up back here after we've done everything that we wanted to do, and then we can head back home for some dinner.

"Sounds great!" Aura chimed as she practically skipped off towards the distant lake.

Hue smiled and shook his head.

"Oooh, she's _excited._ " Diane said from behind, scaring the ever living daylights out of Hue.

"Didi, what the hell?" Hue asked. "Did you follow us here?"

"Not at all." Diane said as she looked over at Ethel, who was busy trying to feed a rather inquisitive Exeggcute.

"Ethel just won a Soul Badge, so I decided I'd let her in to celebrate. She does have a certain pokemon in mind to catch, but she's having fun just feeding the ones that appear."

Hue thought back to the lecture Ethel had given him about Arthur yesterday.

He looked as his Kirlia's pokeball.

If anyone knew about Ralts and Kirlia, it was Ethel.

"Oh yeah…" Diane said as she reached into her bag and pulled out an Egg.

"Check this out."

"That's cool." Hue said. "Do we know what it's going to hatch into?" He asked.

"Not in the slightest." Diane smiled. She looked down at the egg.

"But whatever it _does_ hatch into, I'll be sure to train up to be incredibly strong."

"Where did you get this?" Hue asked.

"If you _must_ know…" Diane said. "Fuchsia City held one of those tournament things recently. I got the egg and my badge in that manner."

"You won a _second_ one of these?" Hue asked, astounded.

"Of course I did!" Diane boasted. "Didi Dynamite is what they call me now!"

"You're still just Didi to me…" Hue laughed.

"In any case Huey…" Diane said. "I really don't have anything I want to do here, and Ethel tends to like being left to her own devices when pursuing pokemon. So I guess I'll tag along with you for the time being."

"Is Ethel joining us for dinner?" Hue asked as he motioned for Diane to follow him to the plains area.

"Yeah. I told Mom about it already and everything." Diane said. "It'll be the first time in a long time that all the seats at our table will be full."

"Mm-hm." Hue nodded.

"So…" Diane clapped her hands. "What are we doing?"

"Looking for that Nidorino that visits Dad's grave all the time." Hue answered.

"Well, it might be hard to find that specific Nidorino…" Diane said, choosing now to be a realist.

"It wasn't like Dad only brought one of them over. There were at least fifty of them. To single out one would…"

Diane paused.

"Did you feel that?" She asked.

"Feel what?" Hue asked back.

As soon as the words left his mouth he felt what Diane was talking about.

"It's sort of a rumbling of the ground…" Diane said.

"Yeah, I feel it now…" Hue replied. "It's magnitude is rising…"

Hue looked around.

"Diane…" He pointed. Too in a trance at what he was looking at to call her 'Didi' like normal.

"What is it?" Diane asked as she turned.

"Oh."

"I think we've found our single Nidorino…" Hue said as he began to run towards the spectacle.

"Hue wait, I think this might be a little too big a bite to chew!" Diane ran after him.

"But you saw it didn't you?" Hue asked.

Diane nodded. "Yes but, Hue, Dad never caught them.."

"He never tried!" Hue replied.

"Now come on Diane. We're going to save that Nidorino from that herd of Rhyhorn once and for all!"

"Riiinoooo!" The Nidorino cried out as it reached a dead end and four Rhyhorn approached it.

"Rinooo…" It began to wimper.

"Horn…" One of the Rhyhorn snickered.  
"Horn, Rhyhorn…" The other Rhyhorn began to snicker as well.

"Rhyyyyy…." A fifth Rhyhorn roared.

The four Rhyhorn all made way for the fifth one to walk up to the Nidorino.

The fifth Rhyhorn wasn't gray like all the others. The fifth Rhyhorn was a kind of tannish color that sparkled as it moved.

"Hooorn!" It bellowed as it began scuffing up dirt, ready to charge.

"Rhy…" It started to bolt towards the Nidorino. "Horrrrrrrrnnn!"

"Nidooo." The Nidorino cringed.

It braced for an impact that never came.

"Hell yes!" Hue cheered as he and Diane ran up to the area where the Nidorino was.

Hue picked up the pokeball.

"See Didi? I told you that Rhyhorn were stupid enough to be able to catch from behind!"

Hue looked at his Rhyhorn's data in the pokedex.

"It's a male, is it?" He asked. "So much for the name Rhianna."

"That's a good thing." Diane said.

"I'll name him Vasquez…" Hue said.

A sound akin to the strumming of a guitar echoed throughout the area.

"I think it has a good ring to it."

"You named it Vasquez-" Diane began.

A sound akin to the strumming of a guitar echoed throughout the area again.

"Because you thought it had a good ring to it?" Diane finished.

"That's right." Hue nodded.

He turned to the rest of the Rhyhorn.

"Now listen up!" He said.

"I just caught your little gang leader. That makes _me_ the leader now, you hear?"

Hue set four more safari balls on the ground.

"And unless you want to be left alone in the plains with no clear instructions on what to do, then you need to hop into these little balls and stay there until I've caught you!"

"There's no way they're going to fall for that-" Diane began.

Hue enjoyed seeing the look on her face as the Rhyhorn all went into the Safari Balls.

"Andy, Rocky, Appa, and Hima." Hue named off the various Rhyhorn as they all went into their Safari Balls.

"Wow...Rhyhorn really are stupid…" Diane said as all four of those Rhyhorn were sent to Professor Oak's lab.

Hue walked up to the Nidorino, holding out some bait.

"Hey there buddy." He said.

"We know each other don't we? You're the Nidorino that always hangs around Gordon's Grove, right?"

"Nido?" The Nidorino seemed to start recognizing Hue.

"Yeah, it's been a few months hasn't it?" Hue smiled.

"Nearly half a year…" Diane muttered.

"Those pokemon won't ever bother you again." Hue said with a gentle voice as the Nidorino accepted his food.

Hue held out one last Safari Ball.

"And, I know it's sudden to ask this, but I'd appreciate it if you came along with me. I also happen to look up to my father." Hue said.

Diane rolled her eyes with a grin, realizing how obvious that was, but hey, it was a common feature of both Hue and the Nidorino, so Hue thought he might as well start there.

"It was a shame what happened to him, but I think we can move on from that tragedy together. What do you say?"

"Nidorino…." The Nidorino slowly poked the button on the Safari Ball and let itself inside.

It wiggled three times and then clicked.

"I know exactly what to name him." Hue smiled at Diane.

"What?" She asked.

"I'm going to name him Gordon." Hue said. He looked at the Safari Ball as it disappeared as it was transferred to Professor Oak's lab.

"Dad deserves to have a pokemon named after him before I have one named after me."

"You're getting a pokemon nicknamed after you?" Diane asked. "Lucky…Ethel doesn't give nicknames to her pokemon, so I doubt I'll ever enjoy that. What kind of pokemon is it?"

"She won't tell me." Hue said, shaking his head.

"But from what I've been guessing, I'd say it's probably a Slowpoke or something."

"Oh, I get it!" Diane nodded. "Because you're oblivious, and that's their ability sometimes."

Diane put a hand on Hue's shoulder.

"But you know, bro...I think you're even _more_ oblivious than that. So don't sweat it."

Diane waved goodbye, leaving Hue alone in the field, wondering what the hell she meant.

"Huey!" Aura called as she appeared off to his side.

"Hey, Huey!" She ran up to him.

"I did it!" She tackle hugged him. "I caught it, Huey! I named it Huey, just like you too!"

"That's great!" Hue said, happy for Aura.

"Want to show it to me?"

Aura's cheerful gaze turned to serious in a millisecond.

"Absolutely not." She gave him the piercing stare.

"Understood." Hue nodded with a gulp.

"Now…" Aura chimed, getting back to her usual self.

"Let's go eat! I'm starving!"

"Yeah, there's sure to be plenty of food waiting for the four of us when we get back." Hue nodded.

"Four of us?" Aura asked.

"Yeah." Hue nodded. "You and me, and Diane and Ethel."

"Hrm." Aura said. "Okay."

Hue gave an exasperated sigh.

For some reason, Aura treated Ethel with hostility and it was really bothering him as to why, since neither one of them would let him know.

He got the impression that their animosity had something to do with the kidnapping and NTR, the other things they generally avoided talking to him about.

Hopefully, with any luck, he'd get some answers during dinner.

"Hue." Deus said inside Hue's head in a hushed whisper, only causing Hue some slight pain.

"Deus?" Hue thought to Deus. "What is it?"

"Something really bad is going to happen. Once you eat dinner, leave. Stay the night in the Pokemon Center. Don't be anywhere near your house."

"What?!" Hue asked in shock.

"Huey, what's wrong?" Aura asked.

"Aura…" Hue said as he gripped his head. "Call it a hunch, but I think we should relocate to the Pokemon Center after dinner tonight…"


	46. Carpe Diem: Seize The Badge!

Chapter 46:

Carpe Diem! Seize The Badge!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Aqua Tail, Water Pulse

Espella(Eevee): Sand-Attack, Swift, Take-Down, Covet

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

Arthur(Kirlia): Confusion, Disarming Voice, Magical Leaf, Heal Pulse

Bruce(Hitmonlee): Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

Vasquez(Rhyhorn*shiny): Horn Attack, Stomp, Bulldoze, Smack Down

Everyone ate dinner in silence.

Gloria looked back and forth between Hue and Constance, trying to ascertain what they had talked about.

Diane, Hue, and Constance all quietly and nervously focused on the food in front of them.

Aura and Ethel also ate quietly, but eyed each other like each one thought the other would rear up and attack at any moment.

Finally, Hue said what Deus had told him.

"I think we should all spend the night at the pokemon center." He said.

"That's an excellent idea, Huey…" Aura replied quietly "What do you say Didi?"  
"Nah." Diane shrugged. "We'll be fine here..." She said.

"We should listen to Huey." Ethel mumbled as she finished off the rice on her plate.

"Oh?" Diane asked. She then seemed to realize something. "Ohhhh…I get it." She nodded.

She turned back to Hue. "Alright, let's all bunk down in the pokemon center tonight then."

"What about me and mommy?" Gloria asked.

"We...we can stay there too, dear…" Constance said, picking up on the energy in the room.

"Why don't the two of us bunk in a separate room though okay sweetie?"

Once Hue, Diane, Ethel, and Aura were all inside their room in the pokemon center, Diane spoke up.

"What's wrong? Why are we avoiding our own house?"

"I just…" Hue didn't want to tell Diane anything that would make her worry. "I just have a really bad feeling that someone dangerous might come looking for one of us…"

Aura bit her nail and looked away.

She had some sort of idea, that much was clear, but she clearly didn't feel comfortable saying it in front of Diane and Ethel.

"Can I…" She put her hand on Hue's shoulder and looked at him with those piercing dark green eyes.

"Can I talk to you about something in the hallway really quickly?"

"Excuse us. We'll be right back." Hue told Diane and Ethel as Aura led him out into the hallway of the pokemon center.

"What is it?" Hue asked as Aura closed the door to the room behind them.

"I think the very first thing we should do tomorrow morning is go find the gym leader, probably challenge her, and express our concerns." She said with a serious look on her face.

"And when I say 'we' I only mean…"

She quickly pointed to Hue and then to herself, and then back to Hue again.

"Just us, do you understand?"

"I do…" Hue replied. "But I would like to know _why_."

Aura bit her nail and looked away again.

"I...I don't know why… I just get the feeling that grouping us all together like that is dangerous as well…"

At that moment, Hue wondered something. Could it be that-?

No. No, he dismissed the thought. That was a ridiculous notion.

Still though, he had to make sure.

"Aura… by any chance does this have to do with your dislike of Ethel?"

"It isn't dislike…" Aura shook her head. "It's dis _trust_."

Hue gave Aura a small look.

"...With a little bit of dislike thrown in." Aura conceded.

"Why do you not trust her?" Hue shook his head. "She's been nothing but helpful to us. I'm starting to think you two know each other from somewhere before all this."

"Well, If you've finally figured that much out…" Aura sighed.

"The truth is Huey...Ethel and I…"

"I do not believe that you should finish that sentence." Ethel appeared in the hallway.

"Ethel!" Hue gasped out in surprise.

"To be perfectly honest…" Ethel turned to Aura. "I have the exact same feelings towards you. But I believe that even you'll agree with me when I tell you that now is not the time to reveal everything you know. Your facts are jumbled and backwards, and you're missing a few crucial details thanks to the rage that blinds you. I have told you before, and I will tell you again…"

Ethel crossed her arms, looked down into them, and then looked directly into Aura's piercing gaze, strong and unafraid, as she said with conviction

"The best move you can possibly make would be to give up."

Hue felt like he wasn't supposed to be here. Aura angry was a scary enough sight, but Ethel...she didn't seem angry. She seemed, well, just like she always seemed. Monotone, resting pokerface, semi-softspoken. That's what made her words so scary to Hue. She wholeheartedly believed and was prepared to back up everything she said."

"I think I'll go talk to Diane…" He said in a nervous tone.

"I suggest you do, Huey." Ethel replied as she opened the door for Hue to walk back into the room.

"And please do not worry." She said with an expressionless nod.

"We'll make sure everyone is there to cheer you and Aura on in your gym battles tomorrow."

Before Hue could ask her for her reasoning, Ethel closed the door.

"I know, by the way…" Diane said as Hue climbed up onto his top bunk and looked across the room at her. "I know that you have something… living inside you. Ethel told me."

"She did, huh?" Hue asked. "Well, the reason I didn't say anything was because I didn't want-"

"-me to worry, I know." Diane nodded. "You honestly haven't grown up a single shred since then, have you?"

"I don't understand…"

"You're hypocritical." Diane stated. "You crave company to the point of agreeing to travel with some girl you just met, yet you try to handle every little problem that comes your way all on your own. Did I ever tell you why Ethel and I began traveling together?"

"I always assumed it was because she was too kind to say no." Hue said.

Diane rolled her eyes.

"I'll have you know that she's the one that asked me."

Hue's eyes widened. That was something he didn't expect.

"She asked me specifically for help with something, and she told me absolutely everything I needed to know about the situation you're in. That's why she's the more mature one, in my mind." Diane said.

She looked at Hue, with almost pleading eyes.

"Because she realizes that there are some things that there are things that require more than one person to achieve."

"I'm not the one you need to convince to let you help us…" Hue looked out the small window of the door to the hallway, where Aura and Ethel looked like small children arguing about who got to play with a new toy first.

"I disagree." Diane said. "You're convinced that she listens to what you say. You think that your words alone can persuade her to ease up a bit and let us help. I'm here to let you know that, as close as the two of you are-"

"We're not-"

"I never said whatever the hell your real relationship was!" Diane interrupted Hue's interruption.

"But regardless of your job as a detective, Aura does not view anything you say as words of authority. At best, she treats them as suggestions that she may or may not remember later, when she chooses her own actions. She ran off on you in Pewter, she ran off on you in Lavender Town, she ran off on you in Saffron City, and she ran off in Celadon."

Hue didn't say anything.

Diane gave a sigh. "Huey, don't you see the pattern here? The same thing is only going to happen again. It's only a matter of time before-"

"She's not going to run off on me again." Hue shook his head, certain of what he said.

"Is that provable in any way?" Diane raised an eyebrow. "Or is that just your need for company talking?"

"What is this?" Hue lost his temper. "Did all you get together before Aura and I got to Fuchsia and decide 'Hey, let's all treat Hue like he's seven but not tell him anything about what's going on?' because I can't think of any reason why all freaking three of you would decide to act like you're my mother!"

" _Mom_ is your mother." Diane said firmly. "But _I_ am your _sister_ , and I'll tell you something right now, Hue, even mentioning that relationship between us is enough to put my life on the damn line! If you think NTR is keeping close tabs on _you_ imagine how _Ethel_ must feel!"

With that line, Diane gasped as she realized she had said something that she shouldn't have.

"You know Didi…" Hue said. "Out of all the places you mentioned Aura running away from...you were only present for two of them, and Ethel for only one of those two. So how is it that you both know about Lavender Town and Celadon City?"

"I….I've said too much…" Diane backed off. "But!"

She yelled, scaring Hue so much he didn't know how much sleep he would be able to get.

"But, please remember Huey...even if it's from someone you might not like or get along with all the time, you should accept someone's offer for help. Don't try to do the impossible by yourself."

"I'll...keep that in mind…" Hue replied nervously as Aura stormed into the room.

"I said I'd _think_ about it, alright?" She tried to raise her cracking voice at Ethel, who had also just entered. "Good. Night."

She covered herself up in her sheets, hiding her entire body.

"Good night, Aura…" Hue said.

Aura's sheets scrunched up.

Hue had the same dream about the Dragonite girl that he had had in Cerulean City. He woke up very early in the morning, but found himself unable to go back to sleep.

"Wartortle?" Douglas asked from the foot of his bed.

"Douglas?" Hue asked. "You can't sleep either huh?"

"Tortle…" Douglas nodded.

"Let's...let's do some training before we head over to the gym, okay buddy?" Hue asked.

"Torrrr…War!" Douglas stretched and jumped off Hue's bunk.

Hue looked around the room.

Diane and Aura were both still in their beds.

Ethel seemed to be in the bathroom.

"Guess we're not the only one's who can't sleep, huh buddy?" Hue asked Douglas with the best smile he could muster.

These past few days had been, terribly tough on him. He could definitely use the gym battle as a stress reliever.

The door to the bathroom swung open and as Ethel noticed Hue and Douglas standing there, she jumped back in surprise.

"Huey." She said in her monotone voice, though her expression was clearly one of shock.

It was an involuntary observation, and made Hue's head sting, but he noticed that Ethel had been doing something he didn't think was possible for her. He had noticed that the way Ethel's ice blue eyes were slightly more red than usual.

She had been crying.

"Are you okay?" Hue asked, concerned. "If it's because of Aura-"

"No, no it isn't…" Ethel shook her head as she rubbed her eyes again. "I was just thinking about my family. Yours really cares about you, and It's making miss my parents' protectiveness of me. Strange as they both may be, I would say my parents both love me very much and always act in what they believe are my best interests."

"And you miss them?" Hue asked.

"A little." Ethel admitted. "Mainly I miss my father. He...he changed after NTR became 'popular' again." She said with disdain in her voice. "He and Chandler are quite close after all."

Hue could feel it.

There was something that Ethel was deliberately not telling him.

"It's alright." He finally said, causing Ethel to look at him, confused.

"What's alright?"

"That you want me to figure everything out on my own…" Hue replied. "But I think Diane disagrees with you. She's telling me to get help."

"You're in a rare position, Huey." Ethel said. "You're in a position where you can work both by yourself, _as well_ as with someone else at the same time. You just need to _think_ a little harder."

Ethel gave a shy smile as she retreated to her bottom bunk. "I'm going to get a few more hours of shuteye. We'll grab your mother and sister from the other room when we're all up and we can all meet at the gym."

"Right." Hue nodded with a smile. He wasn't sure, and he'd definitely need to check over that lab in Cinnabar as well as maybe with Ethel's mother and father, but he had a feeling, just a small feeling, that he knew what it was that Ethel didn't want to tell him.

"By the way Ethel…" Hue said. "You and Aura...the reason the two of you don't get along wouldn't happen to be…"

"Don't worry." Ethel laughed a bit. "You have nothing to do with that. Still though…" She began to yawn. "If _she_ hasn't said it yet, then I guess I won't either."

Hue gave another nod. This only made Hue more sure of his newfound hypothesis.

Fuchsia City's pokemon gym had, quite fittingly, fuchsia flooring. The main room where the battle area was happened to be filled to the brim with invisible walls.

"I've been trying to get them uninstalled for months now…" Janine, the Fuchsia City Gym Leader, lamented. "But my father Koga was the one who installed them, and he's using his status as an Elite 4 to keep them up and running, so if you want to battle, we'll have to accept that sometimes, and invisible wall will get in the way."

"How big are the invisible walls?" Hue asked, curious about the layout of the battlefield.

"Only about 7 feet high." Janine replied. "There _is_ a large enough gap between the top of the walls and the ceiling that a smaller pokemon could go through."

"You train poison types, right?" Aura asked as she bit her nail.

What was she so worried about? Hue thought to himself. It wasn't like that many of her pokemon were weak to the poison type.

"Oh…" Janine realized that Hue and Aura were both looking to challenge her.

"Are you both looking to challenge me?" She asked.

Hue and Aura both nodded.

"Huey! Do it like the battle with Erika!" Gloria cheered from the sidelines.

"Pidgeo-tto!" Ace cheered at Gloria's side.

"Buneary!" BunBun cheered at Gloria's other side.

Constance gave a smile and a nod at Hue.

"Make sure you have fun out there." She said.

"Alright!" Diane boomed as she and Ethel sat down in the seats. "Time to watch as Huey finally challenges his hometown's gym leader."

"Huey?" Janine lifted an eyebrow.

"Oh, that's one of my sisters…" Hue clarified.

"I'm Hue Swanson."

"Swanson…" Janine repeated almost bitterly.

"So you're Gordon's kid, are you?"

"Is something wrong?" Hue asked, confused.

Janine's eyes widened.

"Oh, I see, you don't know yet. That's just as well."

"I swear." Hue whispered in Aura's ear. "Lately, everyone I talk to seems to have a better grasp of what's going on than I do."

"Not this time." Aura replied back. "The only story I ever heard about your dad is the one you told me the other day. To me, he sounds like the type of guy most people would really like."

"Anyways…" Janine brought Hue and Aura back on track.

"If you both want to challenge me, I suppose if Contance is willing, we could have a double-"

"Not today, I'm afraid." Hue's mother politely declined. "I'm just here to watch my son's gym battle along with both of my daughters."

"Huh…" Janine gave an exasperated sigh.

"Very well." She sent out a Crobat and a Venonat. "If your pokemon can obtain the badge that either of these pokemon are carrying, you'll have earned it."

"And we can only use two as well, right?" Aura asked as her eyes lit up.

"That's correct…" Janine nodded.

"I'd…" Hue began. "I'd prefer the more...conventional...battle if you don't mind, Miss Janine."

Janine gave a small smirk.

"Are you sure?" She asked. "I think it would be more fun if you were to exercise some creativity with your pokemon once in awhile.

"I think you'll find my battle style _quite_ creative." Hue replied.

"This will be the largest gym battle you've had yet, kid." Janine said with a confident grin. "It'll be 4 pokemon each, and neither side will be making substitutions."

"Why is that?" Hue asked, inquisitively.

"To prepare you for the Indigo Conference of course." Janine said. "You already have five badges. Things start to get challenging from here on out. In fact, in the tournament, the mere act of returning a pokemon will remove it from the battle entirely. The Indigo Conference is by far the most cutthroat of all known League Conferences. Winning it takes 90 percent skill, and 10 percent luck."

Hue gave and understanding nod.

Janine turned to Aura.

"Care to send out the two pokemon you wish to use to track down Crobat and Venonat here?"

"Of course." Aura grinned as she sent out her two pokemon.

"Stirke, Sirius, come on out!"

The first pokemon that was sent out was Strike, Aura's Scyther, and that wasn't what surprised Hue. Aura had a habit of favoring her newer pokemon. What surprised Hue was Sirius.

That was _not_ the Eevee he had seen Aura win back in Celadon. It was black, and had yellow rings around its body.

"The hell happened to Sirius?" Hue asked in disbelief.

"He evolved, duh." Aura rolled her eyes. "Meet Sirius, the Umbreon."

"[Umbreon]." Dean informed Hue. "The [Moonlight] Pokemon. When an Eevee has sufficient training and is exposed to moonlight, it evolves into an Umbreon. The rings on Umbreon's body glow faintly when exposed to the moon's aura and it gains a mysterious power."

"When did you _ever_ train Sirius?" Hue asked, skeptically.

"Huey, I've told you already, I train while you sleep. It's how _I_ wake _you_ up every day without fail."

She bit her nail and looked away. "Though, you seemed to be doing your own training today, so I guess I can't say that anymore."

Aura turned to Janine.

"So, what exactly are the rules of this game?"

"One of your pokemon, commanded by you, has to retrieve one of the badges being held by my pokemon." Janine said. "You may use whatever moves you desire, and you may chase the pokemon wherever they might wander, including onto the battlefield where Hue and I will be having our match. Be careful though, for if both of your pokemon happen to faint, you will forfeit the challenge."

"And if both of your pokemon happen to faint?" Aura gave a glare and smirk at the same time

"Then getting the badge off of either of them should be no problem." Janine replied. "Additionally, should either your or my pokemon find their way onto this battlefield, under no circumstances are they to attack those participating in the gym battle. To do so will result in said pokemon's immediate disqualification from the challenge. Do you have any questions?"

"What about the pokemon in the battle?" Aura wanted to clarify. "If, say, Strike here wound up on the battlefield, would your or Hue be able to attack him with your pokemon?"

"For as long as the pokemon in the challenge remain on the battlefield, they will be afforded the same respect as the invisible walls. They may be attacked by the pokemon on the battlefield so long as the aim of the attack is not to defeat them."

"Then I've heard everything I need to hear." Aura replied. She paused.

"Well, actually, I do want one more thing clarified, when you say wherever your pokemon might wander… do you really mean _wherever_?"

"Allow me to amend that statement." Janine stated. "For your challenge, all of Fuchsia City is your battleground. You will need to think and act like a ninja if you wish to have any hope of catching either pokemon."

Aura's eyes flickered.

" _Perfect_."

"The battle between the Gym Leader, Janine, and Hue Swanson, the Challenger, will now begin!" The ref said as Janine and Hue both took their places on opposite ends of the battle area.

Hue looked at the pokemon at his belt as he stood in the challenger's square.

Those invisible walls would be a real pain to deal with unless he could establish where they all were, and quickly.

He didn't quite know how to go about accomplishing that though,

"The winner of this battle will receive the Soul Badge! This will be a 4 vs 4 match! In addition, neither the gym leader nor the challenger may make substitutions!" The ref continued.

"Huey! Huey!" Gloria cheered from the bench.

Hue hadn't had this many people watching his gym battle since Pewter. Hopefully he wouldn't fall flat on his face.

"Trainers!" The ref yelled. "Send out your first pokemon!"

"Go!" Janine yelled. "Koffing!"

"Koff!" The purple sphere of a pokemon announced proudly.

Hue gave a deep sigh. Even though he grew up in Fuchsia, he knew next to nothing about Janine's pokemon or her battle style.

This would not be as easy a match as Erika.

He took out Dean and scanned the Koffing.

"[Koffing]." Dean informed Hue. "The [Poison Gas] Pokemon. Koffing hovers in the air, thanks to the poisonous gases it contains, which have a foul odor and can explode."

"Hrm…" Hue grinned.

He knew a pokemon that would _laugh_ in the face of an explosion.

"Cooper!" Hue yelled. "I choose you!"

"Cloysterrr!" Cooper grinned as he was sent out onto the battlefield.

"Battle...Start!" The ref yelled.

"Koffing!" Janine called out. "Use Sludge!"

"Withdraw, Cooper!" Hue called out in retaliation.

"Cloyst!" Cooper ducked into his shell as Janine's Koffing let out a strange glob of poison from its mouth.

The poison flung towards Cooper, but splattered on an invisible wall.

"Interseting, Cooper." Hue told his Cloyster. "It looks like there is an invisible war directly in between us."

"Cloyst…" Cooper replied from inside his shell.

"Let's see if we can't break it with a Spike Cannon!" Hue called out.

"Cloyster!" Cooper opened his shell and shot five large spikes at the invisible wall.

"Sorry kid." Janine said. "But those walls are made of a _very_ strong glass. They won't break with just one attack."

 _Damn_. Hue thought to himself. _Challengers have probably tried this before_.

"But that doesn't mean, I can't still attack _you_!" Janine exclaimed. "Koffing, use Poison Gas!"

"Koffing!" The Koffing laughed as it exuded a strange purple gas that began to seep through the cracks in between the walls and the ceiling.

"Cooper, Withdraw!" Hue called out, concerned.

"That won't help you…" Janine smirked as the Poison Gas seeped its way into Cooper's shell, starting to make the Bivalve pokemon shudder.

"Crap…" Hue mumbled to himself. He needed to deal with this Koffing somehow, but Cooper wouldn't be able to reach it as long as that invisible wall was in the way…"

"Cooper, try an Icicle Crash!" Hue called out.

He didn't want to be the first one to lose a pokemon. No way did he want Janine to gain any momentum.

"Cloooooyyyy…." Cooper took in the deepest breath her could. "Ssssterrrrrr!" Cooper let out the largest Icicle Crash he could muster up.

The invisible wall froze over.

"Cloy!" Cooper cringed.

"Argh...It looks like that's no good." Hue said.

 _No...wait a minute...this was great!_

"Cooper!" Hue yelled in a moment of inspiration. "It's frozen and brittle, hit it with a Spike Cannon again!"

"Cloysssst!" Cooper shot another five spikes out from his shell.

The first spike hit the ice wall and cracked it. The second spike shattered the now brittle wall before them, and the final three spikes all made their way into Janine's Koffing.

"Koff!" The Koffing coughed in pain. "Koff! Fing!"

"Koffing, are you okay?" Janine asked.

"Koffff….." The Koffing began to huff.

"Use Self Destruct!" Janine ordered.

"Cooper, Withdraw, now!" Hue replied.

"Cloyster!" Cooper withdrew into his shell just in time as Janine's Koffing blew itself up like a bomb.

"Koffing is unable to battle." The ref announced.

"Great job Coope-" Hue was about to congratulate his Cloyster when Cooper opened his shell to reveal that the poison gas had finally caught up to him.

"Cloyster is also unable to battle!" The ref announced.

"You were absolutely amazing out there buddy…" Hue said to Cooper as he returned him. "You got rid of the wall and kept Janine from achieving momentum."

"Go!" Janine called out. "Muk!"

"Muuuuuuuuk!" The large pokemon made entirely of sludge roared as it amassed itself on the floor of the battlefield.

Hue held Dean up to Muk.

"[Muk]." Dean informed Hue. "The [Sludge] Pokemon. Use extreme caution as its slimy form contains poison. An extremely toxic liquid seeps out of its body."

Hue thought about the pokemon in his possession. He needed to use one that wouldn't need to get close to the Muk to deal damage.

"Go!" He yelled. "Arthur!"

"Kirlia!" Arthur nodded as Hue sent him out.

"Athur, use Confusion on that Muk right away!" Hue hollered.

"Kiiiiirrrrr!" Arthur concentrated his psychic energy towards the Muk.

"Muuuk!" The Muk wreathed in agony as it was raised in the air.

"That's….not Confusion…" Hue realized, as he noticed how much damage the Muk seemed to be taking.

"[Psychic]." Dean informed Hue. "A [Psychic] Type Move."

"You don't say." Hue rolled his eyes.

Dean continued.

"The target is hit by a strong telekinetic force. This may also lower the target's special defense."

"Holy crap!" Hue nearly jumped up.

"Talk about perfect timing to learn this move, Arthur!"

"Kirlia!" Arthur beamed back to Hue as he began to dance around.

Ethel smiled from the bench.

"This battle is good therapy for whatever emotion Hue accidentally subjected that pokemon to." She said, mainly to herself.

Constance looked over Ethel.

"Wait a minute…" She said, realizing something. "Aren't you-?"

"Mom, mom, shhh!" Diane quieted Constance. "We're trying to watch the battle."

"Muk!" Janine called out. "Memento!"

"Memento?" Hue asked.

"Muuuuuuuk!" Muk gave Arthur a frightening stare, before it sludged itself to unconsciousness.

"Muk is unable to battle!" The ref stated.

"Arthur?" Hue asked, petrified at the sight of his Kirlia, who was just so happy mere moments ago, now shivering with fear.

"Kirrrr….Kirrrrliaaa…." Arthur rocked himself back and forth.

"I don't think I like that move…" Hue nearly pulled an Aura where he bit his nail and looked away.

"Go, Weezing!" Janine announced as she sent out a Weezing."

"Weezing, Wee!" The Weezing wheezed.

"[Weezing]." Dean informed Hue. "The [Poison Gas] Pokemon. It lives and grows by absorbing dust, germs and poison gases that are contained in toxic waste and garbage."

"Ew…" Hue said.

"I think you know what to do Weezing!" Janine replied. "Sludge Bomb!"

"Arthur, dodge it and use Psychic!" Hue called out.

"Kirlia!" Arthur, still quite fearful for some reason, dodged out of the Weezing's way and began to emit its Psychic attack.

The Weezing didn't seem quite nearly as fazed as the Muk.

"This must be because of…" Hue thought back to the Memento move.

"That move…"

"Weezing!" Janine stated. "Clear Smog let's go!"

"Weezing!" The Weezing wheezed as it shot a strange white-ish gas that enveloped Arthur.

"Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!" Arthur shrieked as he fell backwards.

"Arhtur!" Hue called out in disbelief.

"Kirlia is unable to battle!" The ref announced.

"Arthur!" Hue picked up his Kirlia.

"Kirlia…" Arhtur sighed, apologetically.

"Don't be sorry." Hue smiled. "You were sent out to outlast the Muk and you managed to do that. She used quite the scary move on you though, huh…"

"Kirlia…"

"You get some rest." Hue smiled.

He returned Arthur and sent out his third pokemon.

"Go, Vasquez!"

"Rhyhorrrrrn!" Vasquez shouted out loud as his brown skin sparkled in the gym's light.

Hue could swear that he still heard some guitar playing in his head.

"Vasquez!" Hue called out. "Use Smack Down!"

"Horn!' Vasquez shot a stone at Janine's Weezing, causing it to fall to the ground."

"Now, Bulldoze!" Hue called out.

"Rhyyyy!" Vasquez started to make the entire building shake as the Weezing took massive damage.

"Weezing, use Sludge Bomb!" Janine called out.

Hue's eyes lit up as Vasquez braved the Sludge Bomb directly.

Janine's Weezing didn't have a good plan of action for dealing with this Rhyhorn…

"Isn't that the Rhyhorn that bullied the other pokemon in the Safari Zone?" Constance asked in disbelief.

"Yep." Diane nodded. "And Huey also caught the rest of that troublesome herd too!"

"My word, that's nearly a full party!" Constance exclaimed.

"Vasquez!" Hue called out, let's finish this guy off with another Bulldoze!"

"Hooooorrrrn!" Vasquez once again caused tremors in the building, causing a few more invisible walls to break just in time for a Crobat to zoom through the battle area.

"Don't mind me!" Aura called as she, Strike, and Sirius chased after the Crobat in hot pursuit.

"We're just passing through!"

"Weezing is unable to battle!" The ref said, once Aura and her pokemon were off the battlefield.

"Grr…" Janine growled. "Go, Venomoth!" She yelled as she sent out a pokemon that even Hue could tell at a glance was a Bug and Poison type.

"Way to go Vasquez!" Hue cheered. "I knew catching you was the-"

"Horn." Vasquez nodded, proud of himself, as he returned himself into his own pokeball, believing his work to be done.

"Stupidest choice of my life!" Hue shouted into Vasquez's pokeball. "Where do you get off stopping at only one victory? Don't you realize that I'm not allowed to make substitutions?"

"Rhyhorn is no longer able to battle!" The ref called out.

"But…." Hue gave an exasperated sigh.

"There was no possible way you were going to lose to that Venomoth." He scolded Vasquez. "Don't just decide you're done in the middle of a battle!"

"If you would please send out your last pokemon…" Janine, seemed to be eager to wrap this up.

"I have an appointment with someone in about an hour."

"Understood…" Hue replied bitterly.

He lifted his pokedex to the Venomoth.

"[Venomoth]." Dean informed him. "The [Poison Moth] Pokemon. An evolved form of Venonat, Tiny scales on its wings disperse various spores when they are flapped."

"Hmm…" Hue thought for a while about this.

He didn't really _have_ any pokemon on him that could counter any powder moves, but maybe…

"Espella!" Hue called out as he sent out his Eevee. "I choose you!"

"Eeeveee!" Espella barked as she ran around energetically, wagging her tail.

"Vee!"

"Venomoth!" Janine yelled. "Poison Powder!"

"Espella, retaliate with Swift!"

"Moth!" Venomoth flapped its wings and a cloud of poison dust flew towards Espella.

"Eeeveee!" Espella swished her tail back and forth and a barrage of stars dispersed the powder cloud as they rammed into the Venomoth.

"Great!" Hue called. "Follow it up with a Sand-Attack!"

"Eevee!" Espella kicked up some sand from the ground and shot it towards the Venomoth's eyes.

"Venomoth!" The Poison Moth pokemon flitted about, for fear that it could not see.

"Don't give in Venomoth!" Janine called out. "Use Poison Fang!"

"Moth!" Venomoth's small fangs began to glow a faint purple as it charged straight towards Espella.

"Espella, get out of there!" Hue tried to call, but Espella wasn't fast enough.

"Vee!" She cried out as the Venomoth sank its fangs into her.

"Heh.." Janine smirked.

"Give it up. Your Eevee is probably badly poisoned. It won't be long now before I claim victory."

"Eevee…" Espella stood up.

"Eevee!" She shouted.

Espella began to glow, and it certainly wasn't evolution. No she looked more like she was radiating some sort of sunlight.

"Wait a minute...that's…"

"[Refresh]." Dean stated. "A [Normal] type move. The user rests to cure itself of a poisoning, burn, or paralysis."

"Way to stick it to the powers that be, Espella!" Hue praised his Eevee.

"Eevee!" Espella barked cheerfully.

"Now Espella!" Hue called out. "Use Take-Down!"

"Veeeee!" Espella rammed into the Venomoth.

"And finish it off with a Covet!" Hue called.

"Eeeee…" Espella turned around. "Vee!" She rammed into the Venomoth once more, snatching what appeared to be some sort of Shed Skin.

"Eevee…" Espella threw the item away.

"Venomoth is unable to battle!" The ref shouted. "The victor is Eevee, which means the match goes to Hue Swanson, the challenger!"

"Yes!" Hue ran up to Espella to pick her up. "Way to go, Espella!" Hue continued to praise his Eevee.

"Yeah!" Gloria cheered from the sidelines. "The cute Normal Type beat the ugly Poison Type!"

"That's one way to look at it." Diane gave a bit of a laugh.

"Here you are Hue…" Janine smiled as she handed Hue the Soul Badge. "This is the Soul Badge. You now only need two more badges to qualify for the Indigo Conference held every year atop the Indigo Plateau. Koga, my dad, and the former leader of this gym, will be one of the Elite 4 watching over the competition, so please make it far, and represent Fuchsia well, you understand?"

"Yes Miss!" Hue nodded.

"Furthermore…" Janine snickered. "You might want to discipline that shiny Rhyhorn of yours. It probably could have swept the gym had it not called it quits early."

"I'll get right on that…" Hue said, looking at Vasquez's pokeball with a mixture of happiness that he had found another strong pokemon, and anger at the Rhyhorn for acting of its own accord.

A loud knocking came from the door to the gym.

"I wonder if your appointment is here early…" Hue said.

"No…" Janine shook her head. "I'm going to the doctor's for a check up. I'm not expecting any visitors."

Gloria skipped up to the door and opened it.

"Miss Carmen!" She chimed as Carmen, Aura, and for some reason, Helen Lang, walked into the gym.

"It's Miss Carmen, Huey!" Gloria repeated, excitedly.

"Aura…" Hue said, as Aura flashed Janine her Soul Badge and handed the gym leader a fainted Crobat. "What's going on?"

"I was walking back to the gym when I ran into them." She said. "They're looking for you, but they won't tell me anything other than that this is a very serious case."

"Helen Lang!" Ethel perked up, excited.

 _That's right_. Hue remembered. _Ethel really admires Helen Lang_.

"Oh, Miss Ross." Helen acknowledged Ethel. "I hadn't expected to see you here as well."

"Swanson." Carmen snapped her fingers, and pointed at the ground in front of here.

"Here. Now."

"Now hold on!" Constance stood up. "Who are you to boss my son around like that?"

Carmen gave a small chuckle.

"Mom…" Hue said. "This is Detective Carmen Yiddle. She's my boss."

"So why are you here?" Constance asked Carmen. "My son isn't in trouble is he?"

"No, nothing of the sort…" Helen assured Constance. "...We hope."

"You _hope_?" Constance began to advance.

"Mom, maybe we should let Huey and his police friends handle this." Diane said, keeping Constance from advancing further.

"But why are you here?" Hue asked. "I remember Helen not wanting to join the police."

"She hasn't." Carmen said, bitterly looking at Helen.

"She's here because this is a bit of a personal case for her, and depending on what you remember, possibly for you too."

"What's going on?" Aura asked, intrigued. "Huey and I are ready."

"Well…" Carmen took off her red sunhat and placed it on her heart.

"Annette Barr, a pokemon coordinator and one of the kids that was kidnapped by NTR was found murdered. If memory serves correctly, you should have met her very briefly in Lavender Town. The place her body was discovered was amid the wreckage of a house that had been broken into."

Deus's warnings clicked in Hue's mind.

 _My house_. He thought.

"And it was the Swanson house?" He asked.

"Don't worry." Carmen said. "Our initial investigation has given us a prime suspect that isn't any of your family, considering you have all been here all day. The thing is, even though he has a criminal record, he insists that he's innocent."

"I find that hard to believe…" Hue said as he and Aura looked at each other with smirks, happy to have foiled someone's plan to sabotage them somehow.

"Well, this suspect has asked for _your_ help directly. He is _convinced_ that you can clear him of suspicion and find the real culprit." Carmen rolled her eyes.

She leaned her head out the doorway.

"Hey, you can come in now, don't just stand there and make us worry that you'll run off!"

A handcuffed Morren Rex walked into the gym.

"H-hello a-a-a-again h-h-Hue…" He stammered. "A-a-and you t-to...Aura…"

Hue and Aura looked at each other, and then back at Morren.

"We'll take the case." Hue said with a nod, not realizing at the time, that he had just made the biggest mistake of his life.


	47. Inherited Trauma

Chapter 47:

Inherited Trauma

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Aqua Tail, Water Pulse

Espella(Eevee): Refresh, Swift, Take-Down, Covet

Arthur(Kirlia): Psychic, Disarming Voice, Magical Leaf, Heal Pulse

Vasquez(Rhyhorn*shiny): Horn Attack, Stomp, Bulldoze, Smack Down

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

"So...y-you'll help me?" Morren asked as Hue retrieved Gumshoe and Gordon from the PC in return for Bruce and Cooper.

"I said I would, didn't I?" Hue grinned, before he realized how serious this case was.

"Besides, I'd love to learn what reason anyone could possibly have for breaking into my house."

"Huey." Aura put her hand on Hue's shoulder.

"Normally, I'd be all for this, but I want to make absolutely sure this time, that you're okay investigating this case. It seems…"

She bit her nail and looked away. "It seems suspiciously close to home for you."

"I'm sure." Hue said, without a moment's hesitation.

He wanted answers.

"So Carmen…" He turned to Carmen, who had accompanied him, Aura, and Morren to the pokemon center along with Helen Lang.

"Why did the initial investigation leave Morren as the prime suspect?"

"Mainly because…" Carmen replied as she handed Hue Annette Barr's autopsy report. "His fingerprints were found on her neck, very close to the incision that slit her throat I might add."

"Her throat was slit?" Hue asked, confused.

"By what?"

"By this." Carmen held out a small switchblade.

"This thing?" Aura asked as she observed it while Hue held its bag. "The handle on this thing is so weird and bumpy…"

"It does seem to be rather...poorly made." Hue agreed.

"Nevertheless, it also bears Morren's fingerprints." Helen stated.

"And there's one more reason we suspect Morren." Carmen continued. "He was caught by a street camera breaking into your house along with the defendant. Between that time and the time of the discovery of the body, no one else entered or exited the house."

"Who discovered the body?" Hue asked.

"Right here." A gruff voice called as that kid with the punk style hairdo from Lavender Town entered the Pokemon Center.

"Well I'll be…" He said. "It's true isn't it? Yiddle's got her hands on one of them subjects from Cinnabar! Hah, and here I thought Lang the Loner was the one looking to collect you guys!"

"Justin Mercer." Aura remembered his name.

"We met in Lavender Town back in October, correct?"

"Hunh." Justin put his hands in his pockets, and looked up at the ceiling as though he was trying to remember something.

"Yeah, I guess we did. You were that chick that wouldn't stay behind in the center, making me do it instead."

"What were you doing breaking into my house?" Hue asked, quite suspicious of someone who would choose to dress like a criminal.

"Easy, kid, easy!" Justin put his hands out as if trying to shoo Hue and Aura away.

"I didn't break into nobody's place. The damn door was wide open. I ran by when I heard a scream that suddenly became muffled and I saw the little pigtailed girl on the ground there.

I called Yiddle and Lang right away after that, since I knew it had somethin' to do with all that kidnapping shit."

"Justin is another one of the trainers that helped the young ones escape." Helen revealed to Hue and Aura, who had yet to learn this fact. "Together with myself, Carmen, and…"

She looked mournfully down to the floor. "And…"

"Woah, woah, no tears in the pokemon center!" Carmen snapped at Helen. "Arceus, Helen, you're eighteen years old."

"Phinny and Lang were pretty close." Justin said through gritted teeth.

"But after the kidnapping, the bastard up and stopped talking to her altogether. The result is...well…"

He motioned over to where Carmen was trying her best to comfort Helen.

"She won't even let anyone travel with her, she's so worked up about it." Justin sighed. "Man, even back in Lavender Town when Phinny appeared after so many years, he didn't once bring any of it up! And to make matters worse he just up and left her in the dark by disappearing on her all over again!" Justin growled. "When I find him, that shit's gonna have a lot to answer for…"

Something in Hue's mind clicked.

 _He doesn't know…_ Hue realized. _Justin doesn't know that 'Phinny' is dead…_

Hue looked over at Aura.

"Does any of this ring a bell to you?" He asked.

Aura bit her nail and looked away.

"No." She said, quite forcefully, letting Hue know that while all three of these people were around he should drop the subject. "It doesn't ring any bells."

"In any case…" Hue turned to Justin. "Why Morren?"

"Ain't it obvious?" Justin asked. "I saw the creep kneeling over the body!"

Hue and Aura looked at each other, and then back at Carmen who had returned with a not quite yet recovered Helen.

"Carmen...is the scene of the crime still in the same condition as when you found it?"

"Fuchsia City's Officer Jenny and her men should all be overseeing it." Carmen nodded. "Take all the time you need to look around, but please, even though it's your house, try not to touch anything."

Hue began to play his standard Phoenix Wright Investigation theme as he convened with Aura.

"We have a few things we really ought to get straightened out with both Morren and Justin…" He said.

"I agree…" Aura agreed. "Morren especially. We need to know what he and Annette were doing breaking into your house, and why he wasn't the one to phone the police if Justin discovered him kneeling over Annette's body."

"And I'd love to know the specifics of what Justin heard and saw…" Hue nodded. "And furthermore…"

"We really need to check that security camera's footage." He and Aura both said at the same time.

"Huey?" A small voice asked from the door of the Pokemon Center.

"Honey, no, don't bother your brother right now!" Constance tried to stop Gloria from running up to Hue, but she simply was not agile enough.

"Huey, what's going on?" Gloria asked as she looked at Hue with pleading eyes.

Hue sighed. "It turns out that somebody broke into our house while we were away." He sighed. "And one of my friends is in a bit of trouble and asked me to help him out."

Constance gave a nod to her son telling him that he had said enough.

"Now, go stay with Mom." Hue smiled. "Everything will be fine if you just stick close to her."

"R-right." Gloria nodded. She backed up for a few feet before turning and running back to Constance.

"Good luck." Constance nodded to Hue. "I've got to make a few calls, but I'll check back in with you to make sure that everything is okay when I'm finished."

"I understand." Hue nodded back to his mother.

Constance smiled as she started to walk back out of the Pokemon Center.

"Hue." She said as she stopped in the doorway.

"Mom?" Hue asked.

She smiled at him. "I love you very much, dear."

"I love you too Mom…" Hue replied, blushing with embarrassment. "I'll contact you if I need anything."

Constance gave one last proud look to her eldest child, before she shepherded her youngest one out of the Pokemon Center and into the bright light outside.

"Hey, Morren!" Aura summoned Morren to the table where she and Hue were sitting. "Get over here! We have some things we need to go over with you."

"R-right away." Morren nervously hobbled over to the table where Hue and Aura were seated.

"Morren…" Hue sighed. "I'll be perfectly candid here...You aren't going to come out of this without a scratch. Even if you didn't kill Annette, a security camera still caught the two of you breaking and entering my house."

"Y-yes, w-w-well…" Morren stammered. "The-the thing is...I...that is, Annette and I, we...were let in, by your father."

"That's a lie." Aura rolled her eyes.

"But it's true!" Morren protested. "We were let into the house by Hue's dad! Gordon Swanson!"

Hue's eyes widened.

If Morren was telling the truth, then there was a third person in the house, someone that knew the name Gordon Swanson.

"I hate to burst your bubble Morren…" Hue said. "But today is the nine year anniversary of the day my dad, Gordon Swanson, died. Whoever let you in is an imposter."

"We still don't have any evidence that what he just said was true though…" Aura took note.

"Right." Hue replied with a nod. "We really need to see that security camera footage before we go down this line of questioning any further."

"Alright…" Aura shot her piercing gaze at Morren once more. "Why don't you tell us about why you were fondling the body instead?"

"And why your prints are on the switchblade." Hue added.

Morren gulped.

"W-well...A-a-anette w-w-w-w-was….m-my….ce-...te…" Morren's voice began to mumble.

"What did you just say?" Hue asked, confused.

"N-never mind…" He stammered. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Morren…" Hue sighed. "I was kidnapped along with Annette back when I was six as well. I think I can believe whatever it is that-"

"Annette and I were cellmates back then!" Morren burst out as he lowered his head.

Hue almost laughed.

"And yet you ended up _joining_ NTR?"

"I...I know it was a mistake…" Morren moaned as he fidgeted in his seat. "B-but I needed the money and the room and board...And Chandler provided that for me…"

Aura gripped Hue's jacket at the mention of Chandler's name.

"It'll be okay." He whispered to her. "Don't get worked up. We're in this together remember?"

 _Please don't run off again. Please don't leave._

"Alright…" Aura sighed. "Let's get Justin in here so he can testify as to what happened."

Justin looked, for the most part, exactly like he did back in Lavender Town. He was wearing a leather biker's jacket, ripped jeans with some random chain on them, and his hair still looked like it belonged to the love child of a Chatot and a Scrafty. Only his hair had changed color, from black, to whole myriad of blue, green, and purple.

"I really don't know what you want from me." He huffed as he sat down where Morren had just been sitting.

"I heard that scream and came runnin' over."

"About that…" Hue adjusted his glasses.

"Where were you and what were you doing when you heard the scream?"

"Me?" Justin asked. "Well, I was lookin' at the pokemon in the zoo. Specifically that Voltorb exhibit. I…"

A small grin appeared on his face.

"I happen to be rather fond of the way they can explode themselves."

Hue and Aura exchanged concerned glances.

"Alright…" Hue took out a map of Fuchsia City from his bag. "If the Voltorb exhibit is down here...and my house is up here…"

"That's a little uhh... _far_ to hear something, Justin…" Aura glared at him.

Justin let out a small laugh.

"What, you think I did it?"

"No, no." Hue shook his head. "After all, earlier you said that when you got to the house, the door was _open_. It wouldn't be hard for sound to escape. Plus, you're the one who phoned the police."

Hue doubted even Justin Mercer would be dumb enough to lead the police to his own crime.

"But even so, I'd imagine there were other people at the zoo that day…"

"Well…" Justin put his hands in his pockets and looked away. "I wasn't by myself… I was just the one who phoned Yiddle,.."

"Hrm." A voice 'hrm'ed as Hue and Aura looked up to see Ethel staring intently at Justin, her Gardevoir holding her hand.

"He's hiding something." She said in her same monotone voice as always.

"So was the other person."

"Ethel, I think maybe we've gotten enough people involved in this case already…" Hue said nervously.

"I'm not here to get involved." Ethel stated. "I'm here to let you know when you've exhausted all the information out of everyone."

She pointed at Carmen who was now sharing a coffee with Helen.

"Detective Yiddle gave me permission."

"Finally, someone polite enough to address me by my title." Carmen said between sips of her coffee.

"This is an important case and you two are drinking coffee?" Hue asked, astonished.

"You're the one who wanted to take this case." Carmen said in between sips again.

"And I need to be there for my grieving friend."

Hue looked at Aura, who shrugged.

It looked like she really didn't know anything about the relationship between Helen and her brother.

Hue sort of wanted to ask Helen about it, but unless he could tie any of that to this case, he was positive that Carmen wouldn't let him.

"Well, we aren't going to get anywhere with these two unless we come back later with some evidence." Hue stood up.

"Let's go to the police station and watch that security camera footage." Aura suggested as she stood up as well.

"We'll come as well." Ethel said her monotone voice as she and her Gardevoir stepped forward. "You'll need us to cold read everyone for you."

Hue was about to refuse, wanting to keep as many of his acquaintances out of this case as possible, but…

"Fine…" Aura sighed. "But that's the only thing we want you to do."

"Understood." Ethel said, again in her same old emotionless voice, but one look at her Gardevoir's expression and was clear that Aura's approval had made Ethel absolutely ecstatic.

The police station was, in a word, noisy.

"Officer! Where are those reports?" A rather booming voice asked.

"They'll be on your desk in five, Chief!" A meek sounding officer yelled back.

"Umm…" Hue pulled aside a random police officer and held up Gumshoe's pokeball.

"Detective Swanson…" He said. "I need to see the security camera footage from the Barr Case…"

"Swanson's here!" The police officer yelled toward what Hue could make out to be the Chief's office.

"Swanson!" A large man, in both height and width, walked out of the room.

"Finally, I meet my daughter's little protege."

"Umm…" Hue didn't knew who this man was referring to. "It's nice to meet you Mister…"

"Oh, where are my manners?" The large man chuckled, much like Santa Claus.

He held out a hand. "Name's Yiddle. Moe Yiddle. I'm the Chief o' Police here in the Kanto Region."

Aura nearly began to crack up.

"This is Carmen's dad?" She asked Hue in a giggling whisper. "Do you think she always wears red to look more like her father?"

"That's…" Hue quietly laughed back. "That's not funny…"

"In any case kid…" Moe Yiddle continued. "I'm glad your finally here. I'm fuckin' beat."

"He's a beet." Aura whispered.

"S-stop…" Hue whispered back. "I,...pffft...said it wasn't funny…"

"Well, we're here." Ethel said. "Show us the security footage."

"Alright…" Moe said as he led the three into a viewing room.

"I'll show you what's on the tape, but It won't be much help. It didn't catch anything that happened inside your house, only the people that walked by it today."

"Why is a security camera pointed towards Huey's house anyway?" Aura asked as Moe rewound the tape.

"It's not exactly the most efficient way to keep an eye on the streets of the city…" Ethel concurred.

"Well, I'm sure I don't need to tell any of you this…" Moe said as he wiped his forehead of sweat. "But The big ol' Gordon Swanson was trying to re-establish the Safari Zone. He came to me directly and asked an extra camera be placed to watch in front of his house, so he could keep track of people who would come and go."

"And if we're to believe that Morren didn't do this…" Hue deduced as the tape played and showed exactly what Hue and Aura had been told it would show. "Then whoever let Morren and Annette into my house knew all about my father and his Safari Zone plans…"

The tape revealed Morren and Annette both heading into the house, and then much later, Justin running up to the house's door, with no one entering or leaving in between.

"Wait a minute…" Aura pointed at the footage. "Justin isn't with anyone else in this shot! He ran up by himself."

"There's some nice proof that there's something strange going on with his story about hearing the screams…" Hue said as he pointed to a separate footage of the crowded zoo that day.

"Even though Justin was the closest, none of these other people ran towards the house, though a few did look at Justin with weird expressions. The rest of them are all standing crowded around this speaker here."

"I think…" Aura said, pointing at the slowed down video where Morren and Annette were entering the house, "That they're having a pretty easy time entering a locked room."

"So...what Morren told us actually holds water." Hue concurred. "More or less anyway. There is still the incident about his fingerprints being all over everything…"

"Fingerprints eh?" Moe huffed. "That's never good. The police always take a sample of everyone's fingerprints, and they even create imprints of people who've been arrested. If they say that those prints match your client, you've got a hard battle ahead of you."

Hue gave a nod to Moe. "I think we'll be fine, but thanks for the warning." He said as Aura tapped him on the shoulder.

"So, do we go to your house or do we go back to continue talking to Morren and Justin?" Aura asked.

"Let's go to the house first." Ethel suggested. "It would do you good to get a feel for the crime scene."

Hue agreed with Ethel. Any clues they could find would be helpful.

"I can give you all a ride there if you don't want to walk." Moe offered.

"It's fine." Aura quickly refused.

"We prefer walking. It's healthier."

Hue massaged his head, which had been in constant pain since he began to play his investigation music.

Deus was in agreement with Aura. He did not want to get into a car, or any other type of vehicle that might be sabotaged.

Hue, Aura, and Ethel walked up to the crime scene.

"Sorry kid." Fuchsia City's Officer Jenny stopped him. "You'll have to find another way to walk home."

"I'm…" Hue rose Gumshoe's pokeball. "Detective Hue Swanson, this is my home…"

Officer Jenny didn't even bother to look.

"Sorry kid, I don't want to buy anything."

"Hey!" Aura snapped in Officer Jenny's face.

"Now you listen here, you little-"

Aura pointed to Gumshoe's pokeball.

"We're the detectives for the case! Let us in!"

"Whatever…" Officer Jenny rolled her eyes. "It's not my business if Yiddle wants to hire the kid for a personal case. Just don't screw around with anything, got it?"

"And I thought Yiddle had a pole up her butt…" Aura mumbled as Officer Jenny reluctantly let the three of them into the crime scene.

"Alright Gumshoe…" Hue said as he sent out his Growlithe. "Time to get to work." Hue took out the small switchblade from his evidence binder.

"I just want to make sure that this is indeed the murder weapon." Hue told Aura and Ethel who were both looking on with inquisitive looks. "It's important to know when we're dealing with pokemon or people."

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe barked as he traced the scent from the switchblade over to where Annette's body lay.

"Great job, buddy." Hue praised his Growlithe. "It looks like we have our murder weapon."

"Let's go check out the corpse then." Aura suggested. "They almost always have some sort of hints on them."

"Right." Hue nodded.

As the two of them headed towards Annette's body, Ethel stood motionless, shifting her gaze occasionally. Hue noticed that she was trying to make an effort to avoid looking at the body.

"Ethel…" Hue said. "Is this your first time seeing a dead body?"

"No." Ethel replied quite bluntly. "Which is why I'd rather not look at one directly ever again."

Understanding the...unpleasantness of seeing a dead body, Hue decided not to question Ethel about her experience any further, though he was quite curious as to whose dead body Ethel saw.

"Interesting…" Aura said as she blew her wavy black hair out of her eye while she examined the body.

"I can see the incision in Annette's neck, and if you look carefully…"

"Yeah…" Hue noticed it too from where he was standing, most likely due to Deus acting up in his head.

"Morren's prints left quite a mark…"

"Argh!" Aura ruffled her hair in frustration. "Why does none of this make any sense? I mean, why on earth would Morren and Annette even go here in the first place?"

 _That's an excellent question_. Hue thought to himself. _Why_ would _they come here?_

"I think we ought to talk to Morren about that later." Hue gave his answer.

"But for now, we should look around and see if anything is missing or out of place."

"Definitely signs of a struggle…" Aura said, looking around at the absolutely ruined home that they had eaten dinner in just the previous night.

"Justin did mention that the scream he heard started loud and then became muffled." Hue nodded.

A question suddenly arose in his mind. _Muffled...with what?_

"Aura, Ethel!" Hue turned around. "Look around the place for anything that could be used to smother someone. Cloths, pillows, plastic bags, anything that would stop someone who is screaming from reaching their full volume."

Aura and Ethel both nodded and began searching different areas of the room.

Hue looked over Annette's body one more time.

He had paying close attention to her face, but maybe she had something on her that would-"

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe pointed his nose towards Annette's left hand.

 _There's a piece of paper in there_ … Hue noticed.

"Arthur!" He sent out his Kirlia.

"Kirlia?" Arthur asked.

"I need you to use your Psychic to get that piece of paper out of Annette's hand, without ripping it. Can you do that?"

"Kirlia." Arthur nodded as he backed up and began to amplify his psychic power to lift the paper out of Annette's hand.

"Hue!" Ethel called, in alarm, as she ran up to him.

"What is it?" Hue asked. "Do you have anything for-"

"Don't look at what Arthur is doing!" Ethel warned as she positioned herself between Hue and his Kirlia.

"Well, I sort of need to see the note…" Hue said with a bit of a laugh. "I'm pretty sure I can get a lot closer to piecing this case together if I can just-"

"Hue don't-!" Ethel tried to continue to warn Hue but it was too late.

Hue had seen it.

A small projection of an event that he didn't think was possible.

A psychic image formed above Arhtur's horns, and in the image, Hue saw his mother.

"That's mom?" Hue asked, concerned. "And she's…In Gordon's Grove...talking to someone."

Hue's concern came from the fact that it seemed to be late at night in the vision, yet he could still see Gloria, hiding in the bushes.

He traced his mother's gaze towards someone obscured in shadows, save for two crazed ice-blue eyes, the distinguishing feature of Chandler, the boss of Neo Team Rocket.

"What the-?" Hue began.

"[Kirlia]." Dean informed Hue once again. "The [Emotion] Pokemon. Kirlia uses the horns on its head to amplify its Psychic powers, and when this occurs reality becomes warped, and future events can be seen."

"Hue…" Ethel said as Arthur's psychic projection died down and the Kirlia handed Hue Annette's piece of paper. "I tried to warn you…"

"What do you mean?" Hue asked with a bit of a laugh. "It's only a possible future right?"

Ethel gave the saddest look she could, which was not much, but it was enough to stop Hue from his nervous laughter.

"I'm sorry…" She said. "But whatever you saw in that image, is without a doubt going to come true."

Hue silently looked at Arthur.

"Kirlia?" Arthur asked confused.

"I'm confused too, buddy." Hue said. "But maybe this note will help us figure something out."

He motioned for Gumshoe to look on as well, since he was out.

The note appeared to have been torn from some sort of journal, though Annette certainly didn't have any books on her.

"It's a page from a diary?" Ethel asked.

"Something like that." Hue nodded. "Let me see if I can read it…"

The paper itself was singed. It looked almost like it had been caught in some kind of fire.

"Entry 3: Gordon says he can work on re-establishing the Safari Zone if he's given enough time. I don't know if she can last that long, as her condition is only getting worse, but I'm sure Gordon can pull through. Even if we can't discover anything through the research on the exotic pokemon he brings over, Neo Team Rocket will at least have a base of operations. In fact, Gordon says that the Chief suggested he install a secret passage to the house from that overgrown grove. I'm not that fond of the place, but I don't want to have to resort to that old lab on Cinnabar. - Chandler"

"Well, that doesn't just raise a fuck-ton of questions." Hue raised his sarcastically charged voice.

He could barely believe what he was reading.

"This has to be a red herring or something." He tried to dismiss the note. "There's no way my father would help Neo Team Rocket…"

"Huey…" Aura called from Hue's room. "You might want to bring everyone over here to see this…"

Hue and Ethel looked at each other briefly, and then both hurried over to where Aura was.

"It's under your bed…" Aura pointed under Hue's bed.

"My bed?" Hue asked.

"No, under it." Aura squatted down and again pointed.

"I see a trap door, only it's open."

"What?" Hue asked, confused.

"Last time I checked, that trap door was locked tight and couldn't open…" Hue got down on the floor and looked underneath his bed.

Sure enough, there was an open trap-door.

"Do you know where that trapdoor leads?" Ethel asked.

"Gumshoe." Hue turned to Gumshoe, "I want you to Dig into that trap door's tunnel and find out where it goes, then I want you to come get us, and lead us to the other entrance, okay?"

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe barked as he wagged his tail and burrowed through the ground into the trap door tunnel.

"What now?" Aura asked.

Hue thought hard to himself.

"We still need to know why Justin Mercer was the only one to come running to the scene of the crime, and we still need to know how Morren's finger prints ended up on the weapon and on Annette's body. I bet if we can find out both of those, we can find our true killer...or, I think perhaps in this case, our _killers_."

"Two people?" Aura asked confused.

Hue nodded. "Well, obviously only _one_ actually committed the crime. The _other_ one, just played along as an accomplice."

"You already have two suspects in mind, don't you?" Ethel said, almost looking disappointed.

"Is something wrong?" Hue asked.

"I…" Ethel trailed off as she looked away.

"I need to stop by the pokemon center." She said. "I have a few calls I want to make, but I'll catch back up when I'm done. I'll be fine so please don't worry about me."

"Alright." Hue sighed.  
"Ciao then." Ethel said as she left the crime scene in a fast-paced walk.

"Wonder what that's about." Hue said.

Aura bit her nail and looked away.

"Doing this is probably a little hard for her." She said.

Hue found that information a little...inaccurate. After all, she seemed fine investigating back at Silph Co.

"So what are we going to do?" Aura asked as she and Hue looked around the Voltorb exhibit at the zoo.

"Right now, we're just waiting for Gumshoe to get back to us." Hue replied. "But just in case Justin doesn't give us any good answer, I'm looking around here to see if there's any reason that he might be the only person to hear someone's screams…"

Hue didn't tell Aura that what he just said was mostly a lie.

 _That vision and that note…_ Hue's thoughts kept returning to them. He had always thought it was his own bad luck that he was kidnapped all those years ago...but if his father had really worked for NTR…

Hue felt a kind of worry that he had hoped he'd never have to feel again. That was why he had brought Aura to the zoo.

This was a calming environment. Whenever any of the Voltorb exploded, a speaker would play a funny sound effect.

Each time, Aura would giggle without fail.

 _This is nice_. Hue thought to himself, calmly.

Suddenly, a lightbulb clicked on in his head.

 _The speakers…_

He looked around the zoo.

There was one speaker for each exhibit…

Justin was at the Voltorb exhibit…

Speakers would have wires connecting them to a…

"Ah-ha." Hue said as he opened a cable box to see that the wires had all been tampered with.

"Aura, run over the tape of the zoo again!" He exclaimed, excitedly. "I've just about solved this case."

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe ran up to Hue and Aura.

"Growl! Growlithe! Growl!" He seemed adamant that they follow him.

Hue and Aura both took off after Gumshoe as he led them through the city, directly into Gordon's Grove, and right up to.

"Dad's tombstone!" Hue called out in alarm. "Someone moved it!"

"Probably to access the secret tunnel to your house…" Aura said, observing the large tunnel where Gordon Swanson's tombstone used to be.

Written in sloppy paint on the tunnel walls were the words "NTR Entrance Way."

"Dammit!" Hue fell to the grass.

"Huey?" Aura asked concerned.

"Dammit…" Hue said again. "He...he really was…"

"Oh." Ethel's voice rang throughout the grove. "There you two are."

"I'm afraid this isn't the best time…" Aura said, motioning to Hue, who was still slouched on the ground.

"He's sort of acting...weird…"

"He has good reason to be." Ethel sighed. "I looked into it." She walked up to Hue and Aura.

"Gordon Swanson, Hue's father, was one of the co-founders of Neo Team Rocket. Chandler was another."

"You said _another_." Aura observed. "You didn't say _the_ other?"

"No." Ethel replied. "I did not, because there were other founders, but they've since all either been indicted or passed away."

"Argh!" Hue got up, much faster than he should have, and slammed his foot into his father's tombstone.

"Why?!"

He had looked up to his father. He aspired to be like his dad. He was so devastated when he learned that his dad had died. And only now did he just learn that his human hero of a father was nothing more than some criminal!

"Why?!" He yelled again as he kicked Gordon's tombstone once more.

"I bet you aren't even really dead, are you?!" He continued to yell. "You just couldn't have your family snooping into what you were doing, so you faked it!"

"Huey, calm down!" Aura, tried to comfort him. "We're here for you, it'll be alright-"

"Argh!" Another kick to Gordon's grave.

"Ow! Shit!" He fell back to massage his now injured foot.

"Huey…" Ethel and Aura both tried to put their hands on his shoulder.

"Get away from me!" Hue swatted at them.

They looked at each other.

"He's completely lost it…" Aura said, concerned. "Go call the police and tell them that Huey's sure he solved the case. I'll stay here with him."

"I'm going to bring his mother and sister too. They're probably the only ones who can calm him down right now." Ethel said.

Aura nodded and she knelt down, looking at Hue writhing in agony.

"That face he's making is making me uneasy…"

Ethel gave Aura a glance before she left the grove.

"Aura...he's making _your_ face."

Having said what she needed to say, she left a contemplating Aura and an agonized Hue in the grove.

Aura looked at Hue, still writhing in agony.

He got back up again, and once again tried to kick his father's tombstone.

"Gahh-!" He shouted, but was stopped short, as Aura tightly embraced him from behind.

"Gah, get- get off of me!" He tried to shake Aura off but he couldn't.

"No!" Aura refused. "I won't!"

"Hnnnggghh.." Hue tried to break free of Aura's grip but he couldn't. Her grip was still as strong as ever.

"Please Huey!" Aura pleaded as Hue mustered all his might to give the tombstone another kick.

"Please stop scaring me by making that face!"

Hue froze.

Some evening light shone in from the treetops.

He fell back to the ground.

Aura refused to let go and knelt down with him.

Hue could feel himself breathing heavily as his common sense returned to him.

"I….I'm sorry, Aura." He panted as he noticed Aura's hands tighten around his chest.

"You better be." She mumbled into the back of his jacket. "I don't know how to calm people."

Hue gave a small, and sad, but genuine laugh as he put both of his hands over hers.

"I'd say you're doing just fine."

Ethel returned with Carmen Yiddle, Helen Lang, Justin Mercer, Morren Rex, Officer Jenny, Carmen's father Moe Yiddle, Hue's mother Constance Swanson, and Hue's sister Gloria Swanson. With the audience finally large enough, She walked up to Hue, who was now simply sitting on the ground across from Aura, with both Gumshoe and Arthur out, the four of them playing cards, though Arthur was also playing Gumshoe's hand.

"Hue…" She said. "If you're up to it, I think it is time to put this case to rest."

Hue, who by now had some time to clear his mind, and regain his focus, but who was still nowhere near happy about what he had learned, stood up.

"I'll get right to the point…" He said as he took out Dean and began to play the Phoenix Wright Unlimited Corners theme.

"Sorry, Carmen, but I hereby wish to arrest Moe Yiddle for assisting in the murder of Annette Barr!"

"What?" Nearly everybody gasped in shock.

"Now, look here boy. I don't think now is the time for jokes…" Moe said with a nervous chortle.

"Then why are you so nervous?" Hue gave a confident grin.

"Swanson! That is my father!" Carmen rose her voice. "He is the _Chief of Police_! Why would he have a hand in this murder case?"

"Morren!" Hue pointed to Morren. "You and Annette weren't just going to give Gordon Swanson a cordial visit today, were you? Annette had found something out." He turned towards Justin, Helen, and Carmen. "Something about the makeup of Neo Team Rocket itself!"

"T-that's right!" Morren stammered. "Annette was busy tracking down the various _founders_ of NTR! We ran into each other when we were both in Cinnabar Island, and she told me that everyone left was at Fuchsia City."

"I'm afraid I don't understand what any of that has to do with _me_ boy." Moe said as he wiped his forehead of sweat.

"For starters…" Hue said as Ethel handed him the security camera footage.

"You told us yourself that Gordon Swanson specifically requested that a security camera be placed watching the entrance to his house, but not inside the home at all!"

Hue pointed directly at Moe.

"I'd say that would warrant an extensive background check, wouldn't you, _Chief_?"

"Gaah!" Moe coughed as he stepped back a bit.

"Now hold on…" Carmen said stepping in, eager to protect her dad.

"You still haven't established what exactly his motive would be…"

"Because Ethel is wrong." Hue's eyes flickered.

"Come on, I'm sure you've all been wondering it!" He turned to Aura and Helen and Justin. "How this Chandler who everyone knows is in charge of NTR can keep avoiding and escaping authority?"

Hue pointed at Moe. "Because the final remaining cofounder of Neo Team Rocket is also the Chief of Police!"

"That's preposterous!" Carmen retaliated. "There is absolutely _nothing_ linking my father to Neo Team Rocket!"

"Objection!" Hue yelled as he threw the note Arthur had taken out of Annette's hand towards Carmen.

"As you can see, this note clearly mentions the Chief suggesting that a tunnel be dug to our house from this very grove!"

"And here it is!" Aura pointed excitedly at the tunnel obviously labeled with the NTR logo.

"The Chief of all people would _inspect_ his own suggestion." She grinned as she brushed her hair out of her eyes and gave a similar confident grin.

"And I bet this is _exactly_ what Moe Yiddle intended his tunnel to look like."

"That's absurd!" Moe said again. "Neo Team Rocket could have used that tunnel without my knowledge later…"

Hue shook his head.

"Neo Team Rocket didn't rise to complete power until _after_ the kidnapping, one year after my father's alleged death."

"Did he just say alleged?" Constance asked Ethel.

"He found out his father had a hand in creating the organization that traumatized him." Ethel answered. "He isn't sure what to believe anymore."

"That's not entirely true, Ethel." Hue's eyes flickered again.

"I believe Morren!"

"You believe someone that you _know_ has a criminal history?" Carmen asked, dumbfounded. "Over my father? The _Chief of Police_?"

"You're damn right, I do!"

"But Morren's fingerprints were found on the knife-" Helen rubbed her forehead, confused.

"Objection!" Hue yelled as he turned towards her.

"Recall what Aura and I both observed when we first saw that knife!"

" _This thing?" Aura asked as she observed it while Hue held its bag. "The handle on this thing is so weird and bumpy…"_

" _It does seem to be rather...poorly made." Hue agreed._

"And then take note of what, once again, Moe himself told us when we went to the police station!" Hue said

 _The police always take a sample of everyone's fingerprints, and they even create imprints of people who've been arrested._

"You can't mean-!" Carmen asked in a state of shock.

"Oh, but I do!" Hue said as he took the small switchblade out of the bag it was contained in.

"This isn't a switchblade at all, but rather…"

He used as much strength as he could, and managed to remove the small blade out altogether.

"A knife inserted into Morren Rex's imprints from the police station! That's why the handle was all bumpy and ridgey, and that's why you found Morren's fingerprints on the handle!"

"Gah!" Carmen lowered her hat to hide her face as a gust of wind blew by her long red trench coat.

"Well, what about the body?" Moe asked. "Mr. Rex's fingerprints were on the body. You don't have any objections to that do you?"

"Nope." Hue grinned. "It's an established fact that Morren Rex's prints were found on the body."

"So you admit that your client came into contact-"

"Objection!" Hue yelled out again as he pointed at Moe.

He took a breath and adjusted his glasses. "I said that Morren's prints were found on the body. I did not once say that Morren _himself_ touched Annette."

"Because I didn't!" Morren piped up.

"Morren, shush. We've got this." Aura nodded at Morren.

She turned to Moe.

"Well, missy, If you've 'got this' what do you suppose left those prints?"

"Take that!" Aura threw the imprints of Morren's fingerprints at Moe.

"Huey, show them your hand." Aura grinned.

Hue lifted his hand up to reveal a very dark brown palm and fingers.

"It looks like something was coated in some sort of paint…" He said.

"The imprint was part of the weapon used to murder Annette!" Aura shouted. "The simple act of pressing it up against her neck was enough to leave behind the illusion of Morren's fingerprints! I bet a DNA test would make everything come up short!"

"Gahhh!" Moe fell flat on his butt.

"Hold on now…" Ethel said. "Aren't we forgetting something?"

"Justin." Hue nodded.

He turned to face Justin.

"Listen man, there's nothing to be ashamed of, so why don't you just admit it?"

"Admit what?" Justin asked.

"Admit that you only watch the Voltorbs explode for the sound effects." Hue replied.

"I-"

"It's okay." Hue said as he took out a photo he took of the tampered with cable box.

"Take that!" He said to no one as he threw it out indiscriminately. "Justin Mercer wanted to watch the voltorbs explode, but the speaker near the exhibit had been rewired so that when Annette screamed at her assailant, anyone who heard it would think it was the voltorbs exploding creating a less than savory sound effect."

"But then, how come Justin was the only one to come running?" Helen asked.

"Because…" Hue grinned.

He took out the tape of the zoo from the time of the incident.

"Take that!" He tossed the tape to Helen. "Justin was nowhere near the speakers at the time of the incident!"

He turned to Aura and Ethel. "I assume that clears up that part for you?"

Aura and Ethel both nodded.

"Alright…" Moe said, getting up. "Alright, kid. You win. I'm getting too damn old for this kind of thing anyway."

Hue quickly stopped playing the Unlimited Corners theme.

"D-daddy?" Carmen asked, finally realizing that everything going on wasn't some sort of elaborate ruse.

"W-why?"

"I...I did it because I couldn't have anyone finding out about it." Moe looked away regretfully.

"I couldn't have anyone find out that I had a hand in creating that awful organization."

He looked at Hue with sad eyes.

"Kid, it's important that you know this. Your dad was the one who came up with the idea for Neo Team Rocket in the first place."

"Moe Yiddle, you promised that you wouldn't tell him until he was ready!" Constance angrily stated.

"Mom?" Hue asked, in shock.

"Look at him Contance!" Moe wiped some sweat from his forehead. "He's the spitting goddamn image of his father at that age! It's like his soul is haunting me…"

He turned back to Hue.

"You should also know that your father is indeed dead, kid." He said, regretfully.

"I was there when they performed the autopsy. And there are some clever people out there, but Gordon Swanson wasn't _that_ clever. He couldn't fake his own death, my boy."

Moe gave one last sigh.

"And the last thing you should know about your father is-"

Before Moe could finish talking, right before everyone's eyes, his head burst.

As in, this person's head...popped.

Exploded.

"Daddy!" Carmen shrieked as Officer Jenny quickly pulled as many people as she could away from what just happened while she took her gun out and pointed it around.

Gloria, Constance, Hue, and Ethel still remained in the clearing though.

"H-Huey!" Aura called as she tried to push past Officer Jenny to no avail.  
"We need to evacuate the area immediately!" Officer Jenny told her as she pushed her out of the grove, and the evening light was replaced by the pale light of the moon.

"M-mommy…" Gloria tugged on Constance's dress.

"Hue, take your sister and hide." Constance said.

"What?" Hue asked, as he began to do exactly what his mother said.

"I said, _hide_!" She snapped.

Hue, Gloria and Ethel all hid behind a few bushes.

Suddenly, a searing pain shot through Hue's already throbbing head.

"Ah!" He groaned.

"Hue, _Run_." Deus said. "He's here. _It's Dangerous_."

"I can't run…" Hue shook his head. "I need to...I need to make sure...Gloria…"

"Hue…" Ethel tapped Hue on the shoulder.

"Huh?" Hue asked.

Ethel pointed to Gloria, who was sneaking closer to her mother.

"No!" Hue whispered and yelled at the same time.

"Fuck, I need to get over there."

He returned Gumshoe and was about to return Arthur, when Ethel stopped him.

"The case I gave you." She said. "Open it. Inside is everything you'll need to keep your sister safe."

Hue opened the case Ethel had given him the other day.

Inside was a stone that shone faintly like the light of dawn.

"That's a Dawn Stone." Ethel told Hue. "It will-"

Before Ethel could finish, Another loud noise was heard.

"Eaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!" Gloria's scream rang throughout Hue's ears.

"Gloria!" Hue hurriedly ran towards Gloria's voice, to where he saw her bent over, sobbing.

"...head, Huey…." She mumbled.

"Ahead?" Hue asked as he looked up, ahead, and saw him.

Chandler was standing there cloaked in shadow, save for his crazed ice blue eyes.

"Oh, now this is interesting…" He smirked.

"Subject 4 has come to watch the last of his blood relatives die…"

"...head, Huey…" Gloria mumbled again.

Chandler's Mewtwo stepped out from the shadows. There was blood splatter on it, and it didn't seem to show any sign of caring.

"Arthur…" Hue said as he readied the Dawn Stone in his hand. "You keep Gloria alive no matter what, got it?"

"Kirlia…" Arthur nodded.

"Then go long." Hue whispered.

"Mewtwo!" Chandler cackled. "Psystrike this one too!"

Out of the corner of Gloria's eye, she could see the Mewtwo aim its arm toward her.

No...not her head too...She didn't want to die...She closed her eyes and cringed, but she didn't want to…

She could feel a bright light as the Mewtwo inched ever closer to her.

No...She thought as she cringed even more as the light started to disappear.

She opened her eyes and looked at the Mewtwo she was sure would kill her right in the face.

She didn't...want...to…

"G'laaaaaaaddddddeee!" A humanoid pokemon that reminded Gloria of some kind of travelling knight slammed into the Mewtwo.

"Gloria!" Hue shouted as he ran up in between Gloria and Chandler.

"Run, Gloria!" Hue said. "You hear me? Go straight to the Pokemon Center! _Run_!"

"Uh-huh.." Gloria nodded in a daze.

Was this one of Huey's pokemon? It must have been really powerful to have knocked Mewtwo off balance like that…

She got up, still a little in a trance, and ran past Ethel and out of the grove.

"Hrmph." The Mewtwo said as it stood up.

"Gallade." Arthur, Hue's Gallade said as he jumped back to Hue's side.

"You ready, Arthur?" Hue asked.

"G'lade." Arthur nodded.

"Then you know what we have to do."

"G'lade." Arhtur nodded once more.

"Alright then." Hue took a deep breath.

"Then use Night Slash!" He shouted.

"Gallade!" Arthur rushed towards the Mewtwo.

"Psystrike." Chandler said, without giving much thought.

Arthur ran right into the Psystrike, causing a massive explosion.

"And that's the end of your Gallade." Chandler smiled.

Hue smiled back.

"Look behind you."

"Hrm?" The Mewtwo looked behind it,

"Ahh!" It gasped as it laid its eyes on Arthur, with his blade elbow extended across the Mewtwo's waist.

Arthur scored a critical hit with the Night Slash.

"Ungh…" The Mewtwo doubled over.

"Alright." Hue nodded as Arthur once again jumped back to him.

"Gallade." Arthur nodded.

"Now, it's time we get out of here I think. After all, Chandler's already killed Annette today, and Moe Yiddle too."

Hue looked away as he and Arthur began to run.

 _And probably...also...her…_

"Huey!" Ethel said as Hue ran up to her. "Gloria ran towards the center with a-eeeeeep!"

Arthur picked up Ethel as he and Hue reached her.

"Sorry about that." Hue said. "But we're definitely not staying in that area anymore. We need to get you to safety."

"D-don't make me yelp like that again…" Ethel said nervously to Arthur who laughed.

"Gallade." He smiled.

"So…" Hue said as they ran out of the grove and into town. "Is there any reason why Arthur of all pokemon was able to stand up to Mewtwo just now?" Hue asked.

"Gallade's species is known for their protective nature, a lot like you in fact." Ethel stated as she clung for her dear life on the fast-paced Gallade. "They become incredibly fierce fighters when they're protecting someone important."

 _Dammit_. Hue thought. _If only I'd done it sooner then, I could have saved-_

"Huey!" Gloria sobbed as Hue and Ethel entered the crowded pokemon center.

"What is that smell?" someone asked.

Hue took a waft.

Oh no.

Oh, no no no.

"Huey…." Gloria continued to sob as Arthur put Ethel down and followed Hue towards Gloria.

"Huey…"

Aura and Diane both tried to block Hue's view.

"I think maybe we should wait for just a tiny little bit before going to see Glory-locks…" Diane laughed nervously. "S-she's a little broken up right-"

"G'lade." Arthur looked at both Diane and Aura with pleading eyes.

They both nervously moved out of the way.

"Huey…" Gloria continued sobbing. "It's terrible Huey…"

She held up the most disgusting thing Hue had ever seen in his life.

He could still, if he tried really hard, make out Constance's face.

"Mommy's head won't come back together!" Gloria cried.

Both blood and vomit needed to be cleaned off of the pokemon center floor that night.

Hue rested on Route 19's beach very very early the next morning.

He looked out as far as he could, and saw only ocean and rocks.

Was that the sea of troubles that he still had to put up with, even after all of this?

He had had his episode, but Gloria…

She was at the perfect age for something like this to ruin her completely.

It was clear to Hue that Gloria needed to leave Kanto as soon as possible.

But where would she go?

Hue could only think to send her back to Aspertia, and keep her there full-time. He'd have to introduce himself to her teacher, Cheren and explain the situation, and _that_ certainly wouldn't be fun.

"Oh." Ethel once again appeared behind Hue.

"This seems to be happening more often lately doesn't it, Huey?" She asked.

"They're both dead now." Hue said, still trying to wrap his head around it.

"Both my parents are dead. Gloria's the only blood relative I have left."

"She can't stay with you, can she?" Ethel sighed.

"No." Hue shook his head. "That's too dangerous. And she probably can't stay with you and Diane either."

"No." Ethel shook her head. "I'm terribly sorry, but we have the same reasons you do."

"Then she'll have to go live in Unova permanently." Hue said. "Or at least until it's safe here in Kanto."

"Permanently then." Ethel sighed.

She moved a little closer to Hue.

"Thank you, by the way, for having Arthur carry me out of there."

"Oh…" Hue said nervously. "No problem."

Ethel's eyes were brightened by the moonlight as she walked even closer to him.

"Umm…" Hue could feel himself blushing.

"Ethel, what exactly is that look for?"

She looked almost eager.

She walked up, slowly, almost tantalizingly, until finally, she put her arms around Hue and hugged him.

"I can read all the emotions inside of you right now." She said. "Don't worry Huey. You have some very trustworthy people looking out for you. I can promise you that even if you feel like this pain is too much to bear, there are people out there who understand your hardship."

"T-thank you…" Hue said, still nervous.

"Well…" He said as Ethel finally pulled away. "I think I'm going to go to-"

"No." Ethel interrupted Hue. "You can't sleep in your state right now. It's bad for your health."

Ethel backed up to a spot a few yards away from Hue.

"Go." She said.

"Freeeee!" Her Butterfree fluttered about in the night sky.

"Huey. If I may be so bold as to ask a request…" Ethel crossed her arms and closed her eyes.  
She took a breath, and then shot her eyes open again and pointed directly at Hue.

"Hubert Swanson!" She yelled out. "I, Ethel Ross, challenge you to a full 6 on 6 battle!"


	48. Beach Battles

_**Alright Guys, so this chapter is longer than like almost any two chapters in the book combined, so to counteract this, I've gone ahead and put in nice big CAPITAL letters where the battles actually start, so if that's what you came for, you can just skip ahead to the battle you want to see and read that, though I'm sure that if you've been following the story for this long, you don't mind a special chapter being longer than the others. Now, with that out of the way, enjoy Chapter 48: Beach Battles!**_

* * *

Chapter 48:

Beach Battles

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Aqua Tail, Water Pulse

Espella(Eevee): Refresh, Swift, Take-Down, Covet

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Fury Cutter

Vasquez(Rhyhorn*shiny): Horn Attack, Stomp, Bulldoze, Smack Down

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Ethel backed up to a spot a few yards away from Hue.

"Go." She said.

"Freeeee!" Her Butterfree fluttered about in the night sky.

"Huey. If I may be so bold as to ask a request…" Ethel crossed her arms and closed her eyes.  
She took a breath, and then shot her eyes open again and pointed directly at Hue.

"Hubert Swanson!" She yelled out. "I, Ethel Ross, challenge you to a full 6 on 6 battle!"

It was still the early morning, but Hue could hear it…

The sound of people who had heard Ethel's scream rushing to Route 19 to see who the daughter of a Gym Leader and the Champion could possibly want to challenge to a battle.

Aura pushed through the crowds of people.

"Excuse me!" She kept saying.

"Excuse me, pardon me…"

As she managed to plow her way to Hue, Hue noticed that she was still in her pajamas.

"Huey!" She huffed while panting.

"Aura….what are you doing?" Hue asked, looking around nervously. "You're outside in your pajamas, and people are staring. They're going to get the wrong idea-. Can whatever it is wait until after this battle?"

"That's what it was." Aura panted, very out of breath, having run all the way there from the Pokemon Center. "I couldn't...believe...my ears…"

"What's so important about this?" Hue asked.

"Only that you've made history, Sir Swanson!" Davon Le Rouge appeared from the crowd.

He gave a bow and smiled at Hue.

"In all the years she's been alive, Miss Ethel Ross has never once been the _challenger_ in any of her unofficial battles. The fact that she's requested a full battle against you is nothing short of extraordinary."

Davon bent down on one knee, almost like he was about to propose.

"I would be honored to ref the match, if you don't mind."

Hue looked across the sand to Ethel.

"Davon wants to ref!" He called. "May he?"

"Mhm." Ethel nodded.

She turned to Davon.

"Just so you know, we'll be using standard Indigo Conference rules."

"Understood, Miss Ross." Davon bowed again as he got up off the ground.

"A match without substitutions…" Aura mumbled as she backed away from Hue to give him room to remain calm and think.

"And she's using her Butterfree first…" Hue replied.

"So in that case, I guess I'll use…"

He reached for one of his Safari Balls.

"Go!" Hue called out. "Vasquez!"

"Hooooorrrrrnnnn!" Vasquez, Hue's shiny Rhyhorn called out as it sparkled in the early morning moonlight.

Aura's eyes widened.

"When did you get that?" She asked, enthusiastically.

"Back in the Safari Zone." Hue grinned. "And I caught five of them."

Aura gave a small laugh.

"That's...going a little overboard…." She giggled.

"They were all picking on a Nidorino friend of mine, what was I supposed to do? _Not_ catch everything there?"

Aura rolled her eyes.

"Whatever you say Huey." She smiled. "Just show me a good battle between the two of you."

"The Full Battle between Sir Hue Swanson and Miss Ethel Ross will now begin!" Davon bowed from an area he cleared for referee purposes.

"It appears as though this first match is going to be Butterfree VS Rhyhorn!"

The crowds of people cheered.

"How many people are up this early in the morning?" Hue asked, surprised at the turnout for something that Ethel had only just announced.

"Only half the town!" Diane said, excited, as she stood next to Ethel.

"Sorry Huey." She said as she shrugged. "But even with the starting pokemon being what they are, I'm still believing Ethel's got you beat here."

"Huey's managed to defeat Ethel before." Aura's eyes flickered as she gave Diane a grin.

"In both contests and in an actual battle."

"But this isn't a contest." Diane countered. "And he doesn't have you to save him this time. They aren't in a double battle."

Diane looked at Ethel, as if to ask something.

Ethel gave a small nod.

Diane turned back.

"I think we'll let these two have their match." She grinned at Aura. "Why don't we head somewhere further along the beach and have our own battle? I could really use a rematch against you."

Aura rolled her eyes.

"I'm surprised you haven't figured out that brute strength isn't a match for my quick-witted style of battling."

"I think it's _you_ who will be surprised." Diane laughed as she took Aura further down the beach.

"How doe battle sound to you?"

"It sounds perfect." Aura gave a mischievous grin.

*Meanwhile*

Helen had no clue what she was supposed to do in this situation.

Carmen Yiddle, her long-time friend, whom she had always thought to be rather composed and nearly fearless, now looked out at the waters of Route 19, with the blankest and most forlorn of expressions on her face.

What was Helen supposed to say? That everything would be alright? That Carmen's father wouldn't die for nothing?

Somehow she felt like none of those would work.

"I think I'm going to quit." Carmen mumbled.

"Quit?" Helen asked, unsure of what Carmen meant.

"Kanto's police force, I mean." Carmen replied. "It's too...It's become too connected to what happened back then…"

"Carmen-" Helen began, but she didn't know what to follow it up with.

"I thought that if I joined, I'd be able to put that past behind me." Carmen stomped into the ground, causing sand to spur up and dirty her red trench coat. "I thought that by working to solve other crimes I could prevent an event like that from happening ever again. It was my way, Helen. It was my way of atoning for the mistakes we made back then…"

Carmen stomped into the ground again. Again, sand spurred up and dirtied her trench coat even further.

"But it appears, I'm not done facing my punishment. Be it the work of karma or Arceus, I'm clearly not done facing punishment."

"Carmen-" Helen tried to say something again, but again, she didn't quite know the words to use.

Carmen took off her large red sun hat, and held it over her heart as she looked up at the early morning sky.

"So I think it might be best for me to leave Kanto altogether. Find another, more peaceful region and do my best to behave over there, where someone's death won't affect me as much."

Carmen turned around to face Helen and handed her the red sun hat.

"Why are you giving this to me?" Helen asked, confused.

"I'm giving you this too…" Carmen continued as she removed her red trench coat. With all the black clothing she was wearing under it, she looked almost like a secret agent.

Helen laughed a little at that thought, but her overall expression remained serious.

"Carmen, you aren't seriously suggesting that-"

"I only started wearing those when I became a detective. Please Helen, join the police force and take my place. You've already found _two_ of the remaining Subjects from that project."

"Carmen, we've talked about this!" Helen protested. "I'm not joining the police, and I'm not going to wear these!"

"Very well." Carmen turned back towards the sea. "Burn them then. Like I said before, I realized these past few days, that I won't be able to escape this nightmare unless I leave myself behind h-argh!" She quickly turned around to notice that Helen had punched her in the back.

"Dammit, Lang!" She massaged where Helen had hit. "You know how strong you are? That really freakin' hurt!"

"Don't say that again." Helen said with the most serious of looks on her face.

"Don't ever say that you're running away from yourself. That's not how we operate, remember/'

Carmen's eyes widened.

"You still...after eight whole years, you still-?"

"That's right." Helen nodded with a conviction she had long kept dormant within her. "And in another eight years, I will still live by that motto I was told back then, by the wisest person I'll ever know."

She reached for a pokeball. "Don't run. Notice what's right beside you, and give your attention to them."

"But-" Carmen said, as she reached for a pokeball of her own.

Helen knew what this battle was going to signify, and to be honest, she felt it was long overdue.

"But if you _must_ run…" Helen continued, repeating what she had been told exactly. She gripped the pokeball tightly in her hand.

Her eyes met Carmens. There was a mutual understanding between the two of them. A 3 on 3 battle, just like the two other times they had fought each other in the early years following that kidnapping incident.

"If you _must_ run…" Helen continued as she sent out her Electabuzz. "You _take everything with you_. You never leave what's beside you behind."

"There's nothing beside me anymore." Carmen replied as her Kingler appeared on the sands.

Helen's Electabuzz readied a Thunderpunch.

"That's not true." Helen countered. " _I'm_ beside you."

*Elsewhere, Later that day*

Freddie Franks, and Donovan Key, whom had both reunited with each other in Saffron City, made their way into Fuchsia's pokemon center.

"He says you have to!" Freddie recognized Morren's whining voice.

"But that's not _fair_!" Gloria's equally recognizable voice shrieked out.

"I don't wanna go back! I wanna stay with Huey!"

"Uh-oh." Donovan said.

"That can't be good." Freddie agreed as the two ran towards where Morren was failing miserably at trying to calm down a very angry Gloria.

"And, and, and," Gloria repeated, adamantly as she held up a pokeball. "I still have his Pidgeotto, so I need to give it back to him!"

"You can send it to Professor Oak from the PC here in the pokemon center." Morren explained. "Now come on, I need to take you to-"

"No!" Gloria shrieked as she got up to run away, but in her haste bumped into Donovan, who caught her.

"Gloria." He said seriously. "What's happening?"

"I had a really bad dream last night…" Gloria said. "And now Huey says that I have to go live in Unova permanently! It's not fair! Help me Donny!"

Donovan turned to Freddie. "I'm going to go find Hue." He said. "I'll bring him back here once he tells me what's going on."

"But you have no clue where he is!" Freddie pointed out.

"Route 19." Morren said, almost immediately. "He and Ethel Ross are in a full battle right now. They've been going at it since the early hours this morning."

"Is that why the center looks like a ghost town?" Freddie asked.

Morren nodded. "Probably."

"Hey! Mister Chef person!" Gloria pointed to Freddie, blanking on his name. "You tell him too! You tell him that I don't have to go if I don't want to!"

"I dunno…" Freddie scratched the back of his and looked away. "If your older brother says you should go, I think it's probably a good idea to listen to him. He really values your safety and all.'

"I have an idea." Morren suggested so meekly, it was a miracle that Freddie even heard him.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Since she has one of Hue's pokemon with her, why don't the two of you battle? I can ref a one on one battle between the two of you, and if you win Freddie, Gloria needs to listen to Hue when she gets back. If she wins, you'll try to help her convince Hue to let her stay."

"Umm…" Freddie looked at his pokemon.

He didn't have anyone specially suited to deal with Ace, but if he was only going up against a ten year old girl, it couldn't be that much of a challenge, could it?

"Alright." Freddie agreed. "It's a deal."

*Back to Earlier in the Day*

"Battle, Start!" A ref taken from the crowd watching Ethel and Hue said as he reluctantly began to ref the battle between Diane and Aura.

Diane had started things off with Chantra, her Hitmonchan.

Aura had Strike, her Scyther, out as her first pokemon.

"Strike!" Aura called out.

"Chantra!" Diane called out as well.

"Vacuum Wave!" Both trainers shouted out at the same time.

DIANE VS AURA

The two pokemon both glided across the sand and passed each other, erupting wind all over the place, causing sand to flare up like tendrils.

"Now, Strike!" Aura called out. "Use Double Team!"

"Scyther!" Strike hissed as he made copies of himself, surrounding Diane's Hitmonchan.

"Impressive." Diane smiled. "But there's a way around your little ambush, and that way is a Comet Punch, Chantra!" Diane called out as her Chantra let loose a barrage of punches all over the area, causing the Scyther to disappear one by one, until Chantra hit the real Strike, sending him gliding back towards Aura.

"Now Chantra!" Diane shouted. "Let's Mega Punch this thing!"

"Dodge it, with a Swords Dance!" Aura called out.

"Scythe!" Strike quickly moved out of the way as the Hitmonchan charged him.

He lifted one of his scythe-like claws as if it were a fencing sword.

"Scyther." He said, looking directly at Chantra.

"Huey let me use his master ball on this pokemon." Aura revealed to Diane. "And this will be his first battle. I _don't_ intend on losing."

"We'll see about that!" Diane countered. "Chantra, Mach Punch!"

"Fury Cutter, Strike!" Aura called out.

"Mon...Chan!" Chantra's punch hit Strike directly before he could get a Fury Cutter in.

"Scythe…" He began to pant.

"Hrm…" Aura said to herself. "There's no way to outspeed the punches of a Hitmonchan, but maybe…"

"Now Chantra!" Diane yelled again. "Mega Punch!"

"Vacuum Wave!" Aura called out in retaliation.

This time it was Chantra's turn to take the hit before theirs reached their target.

"Maybe, we can _match it_." Aura finished her thought with a sly grin.

"Chantra, are you alright?" Diane asked.

"Chan!" Chantra nodded.

"What about you, Strike?" Aura asked. "You hanging in there?"

"Scyther!" Strike nodded.

Both women smiled.

"Good." They both grinned. "Then give this next attack everything you've got."

Both women pointed, and yelled at the top of their lungs.

"Vacuum Wave!"

"Hitmonchan!" Chantra yelled as he began to run towards Strike.

"Scyther!" Strike hissed as he began to zoom towards Chantra.

"Chan!"

"Scythe!"

Both pokemon collided with each other and the rush of wind caused a huge amount of sand to rise up and cover the entire area.

The sand cleared to reveal both pokemon in each other's faces, staring intently at one another.

Aura and Diane both looked on, wondering which one of the pokemon was still battle ready.

After a short while, Chantra fell to the sandy ground.

"Hitmonchan is unable to battle!" The ref announced. "The winner is Strike!"

"Good job Strike!" Aura called out.

"Scythe." Strike slashed the air with his claw as though he was sheathing a blade.

"Chantra, return." Diane called her Hitmonchan back to his pokeball. "You did a good job today." She smiled.

"Diane, send out your next pokemon." The ref said.

"Go!" Diane called out. "Chusie!"

"Raaaaaiiiiii!" Chusie, Diane's Raichu yelled out as it landed on the ground.

"Raichu…" Aura mumbled to herself as she held up her pokedex.

"[Raichu]." Her pokedex stated back to her. "The [Mouse] Pokemon. It can shock with more than 100,000 volts, enough to render a Dragonite unconscious. Raichu's tail functions as a ground and releases electricity into the surface, which keeps it from shocking itself."

"Huh." Aura's eyes widened. If she was Hue, she knew exactly how she would tackle a Raichu, but she wasn't Hue. She didn't do what some pokedex told her to do. No, she was above that, in her mind anyway. She would simply adapt her battle strategy as the battle progresses. Learn from her opponents, get in their heads. Battling to her wasn't a game of trivia. It was a game of wits.

"Chusie!" Diane called out. "Use Thunderbolt!"

"Dodge it with a Vacuum Wave!" Aura called out to Strike.

"Chuuuu!" Chusie shot a bolt of electricity towards Strike, who expertly dodged out of the way and rammed into Chusie for a Vacuum Wave, knocking the Mouse pokemon backward.

"Very well." Diane smiled. "Chusie, use Quick Attack!"

"Raiiiiii!" Chusie charged into Strike.

"Strike!" Aura called out.

"Scythe!" Strike called back, letting Aura know he was fine.

"Use Fury Cutter!" Aura continued.

"Scyther!" Strike slashed Chusie across the stomach, knocking her back to Diane.

"Raiiiii…" Chusie tottered around dizzily before shaking her head and regaining her composure.

"Raichu!" She huffed.

"Now Strike!" Aura called. "Let's go in for another Fury Cutter!"

"Scyther!" Strike slashed Chusie once more, again knocking the Raichu back.

"Chusie!" Diane called out.

"Rai…" Chusie panted as she got back up to her feet.

"Wild Charge!" Diane called out.

"Raiiiichuuuu!" Chusie yelled as he charged, full of electrical energy, at Strike.

"Counter it with another Fury Cutter!" Aura shouted.

"Scyyyther!" Strike zoomed towards the charging Raichu.

The blast from Chusie's impact sent both pokemon careening back to their trainers.

"Therrrrrr." Strike mumbled, unable to get up.

"Scyther is unable to battle!" The ref called out. "Raichu is the winner!"

"Chu!" Chusie beat her chest over where her heart was, proud of her accomplishment.

"Strike, return." Aura said, returning her Scyther.

"Raiii…" Chusie grinned before some ramaining electricity from the Wild Charge attack caused her to cringe in pain.

"Chu!"

Aura's eyes flickered and she gave a sly grin.

So that was how Diane was going to battle. Well, two could play at _that_ game.

"Go, Karakara!" Aura called as she sent out her shiny Cubone.

"Cuuuuu!" Karakara waved her club at Chusie like she was an old grouch trying to chase someone off their lawn.

"Slam!" Diane yelled at Chusie.

"Retaliate!" Aura called out right away.

"Rai Rai!" Chusie threw her entire body towards Karakara.

"Cuuubooonnneee!" Karakara flung herself towards Chusie.

The sun began to peek over the trees to the east of where the battle was taking place as Karakara's bone knocked any remaining wind out of Chusie and the Raichu fell to the ground.

"Raichu is unable to battle!" The ref called out. "The winner is Cubone!"

Aura gave another sly grin.

She had won, she was sure of it now.

So then why….why did Diane still have that victorious look on her face?

"Go!" Diane called out. "Charolette!"

"Zarrrrrrrd!" Charolette roared as the flame on her tail grew to an intense brightness.

Aura seemed confused at Diane's choice of pokemon, but that was of no concern to her.

"Karakara!" Aura called out. "Perish Song!"

"Bone!" Karakara nodded and she readied her bone like a microphone.

"Cuuubooone, Cuu, Cuu!" She semi-sang into it.

The notes surrounded both her and Charolette before implanting themselves in both pokemon's ears.

Aura knew she had succeeded with that move. Song long as Karakara could-

"Flamethrower!" Diane yelled out.

"Charrrrrrrr!" Charolette let out a huge breath of fire.

"Karakara!" Aura called as her Cubone became engulfed by the flames.

"B-bone…" Karakara said as she used her bone to stand back up.

Aura gritted her teeth. She couldn't use Bonemerang, not against a flying type pokemon like a Charizard. That left her with one option.

"Karakara, use Fling!" She called.

"Bone!" Karakara flung her bone at Charolette, knocking the Charizard right in her nose, and causing her to back up a bit.

"Charolette!" Diane called out. "Flamethrower once more!"

"Dodge it!" Aura tried to call out, but Karakara wasn't fast enough.

She was once again engulfed in flames.

Charolette tossed Karakara's bone back at the now defeated pokemon's feet.

"Cubone is unable to battle!" The ref announced. "Charizard is the winner!"

"Return, Karakara." Aura said, recalling her Cubone.

That Charizard had a lot more raw power than she had anticipated. She needed a way to disable it and stop another Flamethrower from being fired.

Wait a minute...disable...yes that was it!

"Go!" Aura shouted. "Kodu!"

"Psy?" Kodu asked, with a confused look on her face.

"Kodu, use Disable!" Aura chimed, proud of herself.

"Duck!" Kodu's eyes began to glow with a strange psychic energy.

"Zard?" Charolette questioned what was going on when she couldn't use her Flamethrower.

"I see…" Diane grinned. "So that's what you think you'll accomplish."

"I _did_ accomplish it." Aura grinned back.

"I wouldn't be so sure!" Diane called out. "Charolette, use Fire Spin!"

"Char!" Charolette roared as she swung her tail, causing various flames from it to envelop Kodu in their vortex.

"Duck!" Kodu wailed out in agony. She then wailed out once more as the vortex of fire scraped her from behind. "Psyduck!"

"Kodu!" Aura called out. "You just need to hang in there for a little while longer!"

"Psyyy…" Kodu nodded, sweating from all the heat.

"It's too bad that Fire Spin is keeping Kodu in one spot for me." Diane grinned at Aura. "In your effort to show off your wit-style of battling you overlooked one crucial detail."

Diane pointed and shouted. "Wit doesn't mean _squat_ to pure force! Charolette! Inferno!"

"No!" Aura shouted out, concerned, as Kodu and her vortex of fire were engulfed in a large blast of flames. When the Inferno attack cleared, all that was left was a passed out Kodu on the beach.

"Psyduck is-" The ref began to announce when the _THUD_ of Charolette falling to the ground from exhaustion interrupted him.

Perish song had finally caught up with her it seemed.

"Both pokemon are unable to battle!" The ref announced. "I am forced to declare this match a draw!"

"Whew." Diane smiled as she returned Charolette. "That's good, because I think we engaged in this battle without betting anything."

Aura returned Kodu.

"You stood up to a really powerful opponent today." She smiled at Kodu's pokeball. "Get some rest."

Aura and Diane shook hands with each other.

"I must say, I'm surprised." Aura admitted. "I didn't think you would use a strategy so deceptively clever."

Diane laughed.

"There's nothing clever about my strategy, Aura." She smiled. "But in your effort to analyze my attack now think later style of fighting, you accidentally outwitted yourself. That's what brought on this stalemate."

"Well…" Aura said, looking towards where a crowd of people still were. "Let's go watch the rest of that fight."

Diane nodded. "Yeah, I'm sure we're missing something great."

*Earlier, Elsewhere*

"Are you sure you want me to ref this match?" Fuchsia City's Officer Jenny asked Helen and Carmen.

Both women nodded.

"This is an important match that will determine the fate of a member of the police department." Helen answered. "It wouldn't be right for anyone else to ref the match.

"Alright then." Officer Jenny said as she stood beside the two of them, holding Carmen's red hat and trench coat, as well as Helen's sports jacket, which she had removed to match the amount of apparel Carmen was wearing, as well as to make the battle more personal between the two.

"It's time to break the tie we're in." Both women said to each other.

"It looks like this first battle is between Carmen's Kingler, and Helen's Electabuzz." Officer Jenny stated.

"Battle, Start!" All three women yelled at the same time.

CARMEN VS HELEN

"Kingler!" Carmen called out. "Use Mud Shot!"

"Kingler!" the Kingler scooped up some sand with its gigantic claw, wetted the grains until the substance in the claw was enough to be considered mud, and began to shoot it at Electabuzz.

"Electabuzz!" Helen called out in retaliation. "Use Light Screen to deflect the Mud Shot!"

"Buzz!" Electabuzz hissed as it created a psychic screen of light, and used it as a blast shield to advance closer to the Kingler.

"Now Electabuzz!" Helen yelled. "Use Discharge!"

"Buzzz!" Electabuzz let out a large jolt of electricity, causing the various Mud Shots to explode all over the place.

"Kingler, use Crabhammer!" Carmen called out.

"King...ler!" her Kingler shouted as its large claw began to liquify as it was brought down upon the Electabuzz, hitting through the Light Screen.

"Lect…." Electabuzz wailed in pain.

"Ler…" Kingler stared at it, mercilessly.

"Now, Electabuzz!" Helen called out. "Use Swift!"

"Elect...abuzz!" Electabuzz shouted as it sent a barrage of stars flying Kingler's way.

"Kingler!" Carmen yelled. "Brace it, and use Stomp!"

"Kingler!" Kingler rushed into the Swift attack and stomped down on the Electabuzz.

"Now, Vice Grip!" Carmen shouted.

"King!" Kingler brought Electabuzz to its feet. "Ler!" It quickly grabbed Electabuzz with its large claw, and began to squeeze.

"Elecatbuzz!" Carmen called out. "Thunderpunch!"

"Elec...ta...buzz!" Elecatbuzz's arm began to cycle around and generate electrical energy before it gave a large swing, and swung down, hitting the Kingler on the head so hard that the shock from the hit caused Kingler to let Electabuzz go.

"Lerrr…" Kingler mumbled, unable to go on.

"Kingler is unable to battle!" Officer Jenny announced. "The winner is Electabuzz!"

"Return." Carmen said as she brought back her Kingler.

"Go, Diglett!"

"Diglett!" Carmen's Diglett appeared from the sands.

"Diglett!" Carmen called out. "Use Fissure!"

"Electabuzz, dodge it!" Helen called, but it was too late. The large tremors from the Fissure attack did their toll and Electabuzz, fell over, unable to continue.

"Electabuzz is unable to battle!" Officer Jenny announced. "The winner is Diglett!"

"Electabuzz, return!" Helen called back her pokemon.

She grabbed for a pokeball, but decided against that one. She couldn't use that pokemon against Carmen yet. She'd save that one for the end. Instead, she reached for her Net Ball.

"Go!" Helen called out. "Slowbro!"

"Slow…" The Slowbro said, in somewhat of a daze.

"Sucker Punch, Diglett!" Carmen called out.

"Rain Dance!" Helen yelled as Carmen's Diglett missed its Sucker Punch attack.

"Slowwwwbroooo!" Her Slowbro yawned as it began to trot around very slowly and rain started to pour down in the area where the battle was taking place.

"Are you trying to make us both catch colds?" Carmen asked. "We aren't dressed for that kind of weather manipulation!"

"You should have thought about that earlier." Helen said, "And it's _too late to complain_ about it now."

Carmen's eyes squinted. Helen could tell that Carmen knew where she was going with this.

"Diglett…" Carmen grunted. "Use Earthquake!"

"Diglett, Dig!" Diglett beamed as it shook the ground again.

Slowbro wobbled around for a while, all with a grin on his face, before he settled down.

"Bro….." He said blankly.

"Slowbro!" Helen called out. "Use Water Pulse!"  
"Slowbro!" Slowbro shot a sphere of water at Diglett, that exploded in the rain, nearly drowning the mole pokemon in the very hole it had burrowed to bury its feet.

"Diglett is unable to battle!" Officer Jenny declared. "The winner is Slowbro!"

"Return." Carmen grunted as she returned her Diglett.

"Go!" She yelled as she sent out her Pidgeot. "Pidgeot!"

"Pidgeot!" The Pidgeot cooed. "Pidge, Pidgeot!"

"I thought so…" Helen said, realizing what was going to happen. "Slowbro, return."

"You do realize that counts as disqualifying Slowbro from the competition, right?" Officer Jenny asked. "You did say it would be official conference rules…"

"She knows." Carmen said, answering Officer Jenny for Helen.

"She knows what this battle is _really_ about after all."  
"If you _insist_ it be done this way…" Helen reached out for the pokeball from earlier.

Her most valued and trusted partner.

Carmen would normally never battle outside of contests, let alone use her Pidgeot for one. The fact that she was, meant that this was important to her. Helen needed to match that level of understanding if she was going to get her point across.

"Go!" She yelled as she called out a pokemon that meant just as much to her as Pidgeot did to Carmen. "Kangaskhan!"

"Khaaaaannnn!" Kangaskhan roared out.

Carmen nodded.

"I had a feeling…" She said as she took off one of her gloves to reveal a Key Stone fitted into a ring on her finger.

"Did you now?" Helen replied in the same tone as she reached down to where her pokeballs were to reveal another Key Stone.

"Pidgoet!" Carmen called out.

"Kangaskhan!" Helen matched her energy.

Both women put put their fingers on their Key Stones.

"Mega Evolve!" Both women yelled.

Both pokemon Mega Evolved into their Mega Forms.

"Now Pidgeot!" Carmen yelled, "Hurricane!"

Helen said nothing to her Mega Evolved Kangaskhan. There was no point in trying to dodge.

A Mega Pidgeot's ability was No Guard, after all.

Mega Kangaskhan braced the Hurricane attack, and then looked to Helen for something to do.

"Kangaskhan…" Helen said, with the most serious of looks on her faces. "Outrage!"

"Khaaaaaan!" The large Kangaskhan attacked the Mega Pidgeot with a huge strike, knocking the bird down onto the floor.

Carmen's eyes widened.

"Impossible!" She exclaimed as the younger Kangaskhan came in for its attack thanks to the Parental Bond ability.

"That's impossible!" She exclaimed again as the younger Kangaskhan's attack knocked the Mega Pidgeot further towards Carmen.

"Pidgeot…" Pidgeot cooed, with the wind knocked out of it.

A strange light enveloped the Pidgeot and it reverted back to its original form.

"Pidgeot is unable to battle!" Officer Jenny declared. "Mega Kangaskhan is the winner, which means victory goes to Helen Lang!"

"But I….I had him Mega Evolve…" Carmen fell to her knees on the sand as she returned her Pidgeot.

"That's what helped me win all four of the ribbons I've earned so far…" She said as she stared at the ground, wondering what to do.

Without so much as giving a breath, Helen threw Carmen's red clothes onto the ground in front of her.

"Don't quit your day job." Helen said with a bit of a joking smile. It was hard for her to pull off. She wasn't the joke loving person that she used to be, but Carmen still recognized the gesture.

She took her clothes off of the sand.

"I'll need to wash them off before I put them back on." She said.

As the two of them walked towards the pokemon center, taking note that there was still barely anyone there, they noticed a strange spectacle.

The boy that only a while ago was a suspect in that awful murder case was reffing a match between the nearly famous Pokemon Chef, Freddie Franks, and Gloria Swanson, using what appeared to be one of her brother's pokemon.

The women looked at each other, and then hurried toward the battlefield to see what was going on.

FREDDIE VS GLORIA

"The battle between Freddie Franks, and Gloria Swanson will now begin!" Morren called out.

"Trainers, send out your pokemon!"

"Gooooo Ace!" Gloria called as she threw Ace's pokeball out onto the battlefield.

"Pidgeoooo!" Ace cooed, ready to fight. She looked back and noticed that Gloria was the trainer that had sent her out.

"Pidgeotto?" She asked confused. "I'm sorry, I'm not Huey, Ace!" Gloria called out to her. "But I really need your help for this battle! I don't want to go back to Unova! I want to stay with Huey and Aura and you!"

"Pidgeoooo…." Ace gave a solemn nod to Gloria.

She turned and looked at Freddie. "Pidgeotto!" She spread her wings, ready to take off at any second.

"Go!" Freddie yelled, not being sure if he was really using the best pokemon for the job. "Charmeleon!"

"It looks like this will be a battle between Charmeleon and Pidgeotto!" Morren said. "The battle will be over when either side's pokemon is no longer able to battle! Trainers, are you ready?"

"Ready!" Gloria said, with a determined look on her face.

"R-Ready!" Freddie replied. He didn't know why, but he was suddenly really afraid of this little girl. Here she was, going up against someone who, all things considered, was a fairly good trainer, and she didn't seem the least bit intimidated.

"Battle, Start!" Morren called out.

"Charmeleon!" Freddie called out. "Use Flame Burst!"

"Meleon!" Charmeleon shot out a burst of fire towards Ace.

"Counter it with Twister!" Gloria yelled back.

The large twister created by Ace met with Charmeleon's Flame Burst, and created an explosion in midair.

"Damn it…" Freddie cursed as Charmeleon backed up a bit. "We can't see her through the smoke…"

"Wing Attack!" Gloria cheered as Ace rammed into Charmeleon through the smoke left from the explosion.

"Charmeleon!" Charmeleon backward somersaulted back to Freddie.

"How did she-?" Freddie began wondering as Ace flew back to a Gloria that was becoming more cheerful by the second.

Freddie stopped wondering.

He understood what the reason was.

"Keen Eye." He correctly identified. "Nothing's going to stop that pokemon from knowing where we are at all times." He let his Charmeleon known.

"Char." Charmeleon nodded.

"In that case…" Freddie said. "It looks like we'll have to rely on less...explosive methods."

"Meleon." Charmeleon nodded again.

"Now, Charmeleon!" Freddie called out. "Get up there and use Slash!"

"Charrrr!" Charmeleon began charging Ace.

"Ace, use Mud-Slap!" Gloria called out with a smile. "Try to blind it!"

"Pidgeooooo!" Ace cooed as she swooped down towards the ground and slapped up some mud towards Charmeleon.

"Hmph." Freddie grinned. "Charmeleon, use Iron Tail to hit them all back at Ace!"

"Meeeellllleeeoooonnn!" Charmeleon swung its incredibly strong tail at the Mud-Slap and shot the intended mud back at Ace.

"Not going to help much!" Gloria beamed, eager to show off her knowledge. "Ace can't take damage from ground type attacks, and her accuracy can't be lowered!" Gloria pointed. "Now Ace, go in for another Wing Attack!"

"Maybe not.." Freddie grinned, "But unfortunately for you…"

Charmeleon began charging in for the Slash he had originally planned.

"All that mud has managed to _slow Ace down!_ "

The two pokemon collided, but it was clear to see that Charmeleon was the winner of that small exchange of moves.

Ace's Wing Attack knocked him back towards, Freddie, but Charmeleon's Slash had sent Ace spiraling towards Gloria.

"Ace!" Gloria called out. "Use Roost!"

"Pidgeo...tto…" Ace roosted on the ground, and began to regain her lost health.

"Charmeleon, we can't let this rare opportunity go to waste!" Freddie called out. "Flame Burst one more time!"

"Meleon!" Charmeleon shot a burst of flames towards Ace.

"Ah!" Gloria yelped in surprise. "Ace, get back in the air!"

"Pidgeo!" Ace jumped up to get back in the air, but some of the fire from the flame burst managed to snag on her tail feathers.

"Pidgeo!" Ace cawed in pain.

"That's Flame Burst for you." Freddie informed Gloria. "Even if you manage to avoid the initial attack, you could still get hit with the splash effects."

"You meanie!" Gloria yelled at Freddie, apparently beginning to lose her composure.

"Ace, use Wing Attack again!"

"Pidgeotto!" Ace cooed as her wings began to glow and she zoomed in towards Freddie's Charmeleon.

"Charmeleon!" Freddie called out. "Counter it with Iron Tail!"

"Meeellleee-oonnnn!" Charmeleon shouted as he brought his now metallic tail up and around to smack Ace to the ground.

"Pidgeo-..." Ace tried to get up. "Tto…" She cooed as she ran out of energy.

"Pidgeotto is unable to battle!" Morren said. "The winner is Charmeleon, which means victory goes to Freddie!"

"Wow…" Freddie said, as he returned Charmeleon and Gloria returned Ace.

"Dang, I wasn't expecting to have that tough a time against you, Gloria." He laughed.

Carmen and Helen, who had both been watching since Freddie's first Iron Tail ploy, decided it was time to go in and talk with the young Swanson girl.

"That was an amazing battle, Gloria." Carmen was able to honestly say. "I think you have the potential to go really far as a trainer if you keep up with your studies in Unova. Not many people have battled Freddie Franks and held up quite as well as you just did."

"The fact that Ace isn't cooked to the bone right now is proof." Freddie lied. He obviously would never cook a pokemon that belonged to another trainer, and he barely cooked Kanto pokemon dishes anyway. He was more of a world cuisine guy.

Donovan returned at that moment with Hue, Aura, and Davon in tow.

"She's back here!" Donovan said as he led them around to where Gloria and Freddie had just had their battle.

"Gloria!" Hue exclaimed as he noticed his sister standing in a battlefield.

"What happened, what's going on?"

"I...I had a battle with Chef Freddie…" Gloria said, trying hard not to cry. "If I won, he would help me stay with you, but…"

Gloria handed Hue Ace's pokeball.

"She needs to be healed at the pokemon center before being sent to Professor Oak…"

Hue looked to Freddie, and then to Morren.

"You guys, is this true?"

"She did almost win multiple times…" Freddie admitted. "I don't think I've ever been more scared to battle a ten year old girl before."

"She looked like she was having fun up until she realized she was going to lose." Morren noted.

"Of course she was." Hue put his hand on Gloria's head and tousled her hair.

"Gloria absolutely loves battling, especially with Normal types. You have no idea how happy a battle like that must have made her."

"Hue…" Carmen took Hue aside. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"So, how was the Hue and Ethel match?" Freddie asked Donovan and Aura and Davon.

Aura bit her nail and looked away.

Davon grinned a cheerful grin.

Donovan scratched his head in contemplation.

Freddie wondered what that could have possibly meant.

Hue and Carmen walked back to where everyone was.

"Gloria." Hue knelt down so that he was looking at Gloria at face level.

"I've had a talk with my boss, and I think we can come to a mutual agreement okay?"

"Oh...okay.." Gloria said. "Do I have to go back to Unova?"

"Yes, unfortunately you do." Hue nodded. "But...I think maybe you just need some reassurance that I'll be thinking of you, so here you go."

Hue handed Gloria a small ring, fitted into the ring was a Key Stone.

"What's this?" Gloria asked, confused.

"It's a Key Stone." Hue replied. "I'm told it's used to bring out hidden potential in fully evolved pokemon, a process commonly referred to as Mega Evolution. This is my gift to you, to let you know that you have the hidden potential to be great, and that no matter what, you'll always be first in my mind, do you understand?"

Gloria gave a small nod and held her arms out, before running to Hue for a hug.

"Thank you Huey!" She sniffled. "I love you!"

"I love you too." Hue smiled and spoke softly. "And I'll miss you, but I'll come visit you when you get out of your Trainer's School. Now…"

Hue looked at Freddie. "I trust you can escort her back to Celadon's airport?"

"But I just got here!" Freddie complained.

"You already battled her." Aura gave a sly grin. "You might as well do her the courtesy of seeing her home safely."

Freddie gave Aura a 'not funny' look, but agreed to the terms anyway.

"You know…" Davon said to Hue as Gloria began to give Freddie the 'rules' of him being allowed to escort her to the airport. "I have a younger brother about her age, so I can totally relate to this hard decision you're making right now."

"That's...reassuring I guess…" Hue said, wondering why Davon was choosing to tell this to Hue now. He didn't pay it much mind though. Davon often said things that Hue didn't need to pay much mind to.

"Whew." Morren said as he walked up towards Hue after the group waved Freddie and Gloria goodbye.

"Finally, I get the chance to show you how much I've improved."

"Eh-heh…" Hue gave a nervous laugh. "Morren, as much as I would love to battle you, I've already been exhausted of any desire to battle for the rest of the day."

"Oh, because of the full battle with Ethel." Morren nodded.

Again, Aura bit her nail and looked away.

Davon gave a cheerful grin.

Donovan scratched his head, confused.

"In any case…" Hue gave a nervous laugh, eager to change the subject.

"I'd be happy to ref a short match between you and someone else if you really want to show me how you've improved."

"Oh, that's perfect!" Davon waltzed up to Morren and bowed at him.

"I'd be honored to challenge you to a one on one match Sir Rex, for I too would like to boast about my improvements to my peers!"

"Ummm…" Morren looked around.

"He'll battle you." Aura translated for him.

"Oh!" Morren smiled as he adjusted his large circular glasses by using his finger to move the nose piece. "That sounds great! Let's do it!"

DAVON VS MORREN

"This will be a one on one battle between Davon Le Rouge and Morren Rex!" Hue announced as the ref. "The match will be over when either side's pokemon is unable to battle! Trainers, send out your pokemon!"

"Go!" Morren yelled. "Kadabra!"

"Go!" Davon called out. "Poliwhirl!"

"It looks like this match is going to be Kadabra VS Poliwhirl!" Hue announced, too exhausted to even attempt to learn about either pokemon with Dean. "Battle, Start!"

"Poliwhirl, use Hypnosis!" Davon started things off.

Instantly, Poliwhirl had Morren's Kadabra asleep.

Everyone watching suddenly lost interest in the battle.

This looked like it was just about over already.

"Kadabra, you need to wake up!" Morren called. "I need to show everyone how strong we can-"

"Body Slam." Davon brushed back his gelled hair as Poliwhirl slammed into the Kadabra.

"be…" Morren finished as Hue became startled by the sudden Kadabra on the ground near him.

"Kadabra is unable to battle?" Hue asked, in awe. "I thought I blinked, but I'm pretty tired, so I guess I might have dozed off…"

"No…" Morren sighed as he returned his Kadabra. "You blinked."

"Sorry about that." Davon laughed. "I guess I'm stronger than I thought I was! But hey, you have to be rigorous in training when you only train pokemon of one color."

"He does?" Carmen asked.

"It's his training gimmick." Aura replied. "Davon Le Rouge is the coordinator and trainer that only trains pokemon that are blue in color."

"Well, I'm going to hit the hay…" Hue said as he yawned, even though it was probably only around noon at the time. "I've had a long week."

"Wait." Helen stopped him.

"There's something I've been meaning to ask you for a while now."

"Ugh…" a tired Hue, who just wanted to go to sleep, groaned. "I'll tell you whatever you want to know, but make it quick."

"Both times your full battle with s...I mean with Ethel was brought up, all of you acted really weird and tried to change the subject."

"Hey yeah!" Morren agreed. "Why are you guys acting all strange about that?"

Aura bit her nail and looked away.

Davon gave a cheerful grin.

Donovan scratched his head, confused.

Hue gave a nervous laugh. "O-oh.." He said. "Is that what you wanted to know, Helen?"

"It's what I still want to know." Helen replied.

Hue gave another round of small nervous laughs.

"Well…" He said, as the three others sighed.

They all spoke in unison. "The ending was surprising."

*Earlier, back to the early morning, on Route 19*

HUE VS ETHEL

"Battle, Start!" Davon called, as the crowd around Hue and Ethel cheered loudly.

"Butterfree!" Ethel called out. "Stun Spore!"

"Freee!" Butterfree scattered strange pollen all over Vasquez.

"Vasquez!" Hue called out. "Smack Down!"

"Horn!" Vasquez began to attack, but stopped short.

"Rhyhorn?!" He asked, confused.

"Uh-oh." Hue observed Vasquez's condition. "If you're paralyzed, that means…"

"Sorry, Huey!" Ethel said with her monotone vocal pitch. "But a simple type disadvantage won't stop us! Butterfree, Psybeam!"

"Butterfreee!" Butterfree shot out a psychic beam, hitting Vasquez right on his horn.

"Argh…" Hue said to himself in frustration. "I can't let her get the upper hand this early in the battle, but I can't switch out…"

Hue sighed. He'd just have to rely on luck for this one.

"Vasquez, use Horn Attack!"

"Rhyhorn!" Vasquez managed to muster up the strength to charge at Ethel's Butterfree.

"Butterfree!" Ethel announced, still with her arms crossed and resting poker face. "Use Double Team to dodge!"

"Freeeeeee!" Butterfree made copies of itself, causing Vasquez to run through a clone, before the paralysis caught back up to him.

"Vasquez!" Hue called out. "Try Smack Down again!"

"Rhyyyyy….Horn!" Vasquez shot a rock at one of the Butterfree, but ended up only hitting another clone.

"Now Butterfree!" Ethel called out. "Use Bug Buzz!"

"Frrreeeee, Butterfreeee!" The Butterfree buzzed emitting echoing sound waves, that were clearly very damaging to Vasquez.

"Rhyhorrrnnn…" He wailed in agony, before rushing towards the sound of the noise.

"Vasquez, what are you doing?!" Hue called out.

He had hoped that it was only a fluke back in the gym, but it looked like that wasn't the case. Vasquez, for some reason, wouldn't always listen to him.

"Perhaps you shouldn't have used a naturally stupid pokemon to lead off a full battle." Ethel informed Hue as she gave Butterfree another command.

"Butterfree, let's end it with a Psybeam!"

"Freeeeee!" Butterfree let out another psychic beam of energy that hit Vasquez directly, causing a small explosion.

When the dust cleared, Vasquez was unconscious on the ground.

"Rhyhorn is no longer able to battle!" Davon announced. "The winner is Butterfree!"

"Did you see that?" One of the people in the crowd asked.

"I saw it too."

"Yeah, Ethel Ross just defeated a Rhyhorn with her Butterfree flawlessly…"

"Why did she challenge this person to a full battle? If they're that easy to defeat, she shouldn't be wasting her time with them…"

"That was only the first pokemon you know!" Hue called out, a little frustrated. He turned to Davon. "Ref, can you please do something about the peanut gallery?"

"Peanut Gallery will keep accurate gossip and rumors as quiet as possible!" Davon called out. He turned to Hue. "And Sir Swanson, you need to send out your next pokemon soon, or you'll forfeit the match."

"Oh, right!" Hue nodded, getting back into reality. He grabbed a pokeball and threw it.

"Go!" He yelled. "Gumshoe!"

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe barked, eager to fight.

"Butterfree!" Ethel shouted. "Use Stun Spore!"

Hue smiled. He had thought so.

"Gumshoe!" Hue replied, use Odor Sleuth to identify the spores and avoid them!"

"Growwwww!" Gumshoe howled as he sleuthed out the scent of the Stun Spores, and expertly and agilely avoided the powders.

"Now, Gumshoe!" Hue called "Fire Fang!"

"Butterfree," Ethel stated. "Use Double Team!"

"Freee!" Butterfree began to make copies of itself again.

Hue grinned.

"Not going to work." He said as Gumshoe's Fire Fang hit the Butterfree dead on.

"Freee!" Butterfree wailed as it fluttered back to Ethel.

"Butterfree!" It wailed again as a small burn mark on its hand made itself visible.

Perfect. Hue thought. A burn was just what he needed to get rid of this pesky butterfly that the pokedex didn't have any good info on.

"You see…" Hue boasted. "Growlithes _never_ forget a scent once they learn it…"

He pointed towards Ethel's Butterfree "And your Butterfree still has the scent of its Stun Spore pollen all over it!"

"Hm." Ethel raised her eyebrows.

"Is this the same kid that was just getting his ass kicked?" Hue could hear one of the peanut gallery watchers whispering.

"Butterfree, use Psybeam once more!" Ethel called out.

"Free!" Butterfree shot a beam towards Gumshoe.

"Dig!" Hue called out as Gumshoe burrowed into the ground to dodge the Psybeam.

"Now jump up and Fire Fang!" Hue shouted.

"Growwwlithe!" Gumshoe shot out of the ground and bit down on Ethel's Butterfree with his Fire Fang.  
When he landed, he tossed the unconscious Butterfree on the sand.

"Butterfree is unable to battle!" Davon called out. "The winner is Growlithe!"

"I see…" Ethel nodded to Hue. "If that's how you intend to demonstrate your battle style, allow me to demonstrate _mine_."

She took out a pokeball and threw it.

"Go!" She yelled as a pokemon appeared on the sand. "Ninetails!"

"Ninetails…" Ninetails glared at Gumshoe.

"Growlithe?" Gumshoe asked, confused.

"Ninetails…" Hue brought Dean up to analyze it.

"[Ninetails]." Dean informed him. "The [Fox] Pokemon, and evolved form of Vulpix. With its nine tails and thick golden coat, Ninetails is said to live a thousand years. Each of its tails contains a different mystical power. Very smart and vengeful. Touching one of its tails could result in a 1000 year curse."

"Well!" Hue exclaimed sarcastically. "Isn't that just _great_?"

"Ninetails!" Ethel called out. "Use Fire Spin!"

"Taillls!" Ninetails breathed out a vortex of fire that trapped Gumshoe inside it.

"Growltihe!" Gumshoe cringed as he took the damage from both the initial attack and the vortex that the attack created.

"Gumshoe!" Hue called out.

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe called back to let Hue know he was still good to go.

Hue took a deep breath.

There was a simple way he could deal with Ninetails. A way Ethel must have forgotten in the heat of the moment.

"Gumshoe!" Hue called out. "Use Dig!"

"You would risk a one thousand year curse?" Ethel asked, surprised as Gumshoe burrowed towards Ninetails.

"Note…" Hue said looking at Dean. "It says that touching one of its _tails_ could result in a thousand year curse." Hue grinned. "Which is why I think our Odor Sleuth trick will work wonders for this match as well!" Hue shouted as Gumshoe shot out of the ground into the Ninetails's chest and identified the scent of its tails.

"Interesting…" Ethel said as her Ninetails backed up to her. "Ninetails, Confuse Ray."

"Tails…." The Ninetails glared at Gumshoe and Hue could see the chill go down his Growlithe's spine.

"Don't let it get to you Gumshoe!" Hue called out. "Use Reversal!"

"Growww…..litheee…." Gumshoe almost drunkenly began hobbling over to the Ninetails.

"Now Ninetails…" Ethel said, calmly, "Dark Pulse."

Hue's eyes widened.

Ethel must have assumed Gumshoe's ability incorrectly.

"Ninetails." Ninetails said as its eyes flickered and a strange aura of darkness was shot at Gumshoe, who was knocked back towards Hue.

Gumshoe began to glow that faint red from before.

He shook his head and looked ahead at the Ninetails, now clearly angry.

Hue loved this Justified ability that Gumshoe had.

"Great to see you back Gumshoe!" Hue cheered. "Now, let's end this with a _real_ Reversal!"

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe slammed into the Ninetails and sent it flying towards Ethel.

"Ninetails is unable to battle!" Davon announced. "The winner is Growlithe! Hue has taken the lead!"

The peanut gallery cheered.

"Oh, okay, now I see why she challenged him!" Hue could hear some people say to each other in the noise.

"I wonder if they know each other or if they're like both the kids of a gym leader."

"No way, that boy in blue with the glasses is that new kid detective for the police!"

"A detective for the police? What reason would the Viridian Gym Leader and Champion's daughter have for battling some detective?"

"I dunno, but look at the expressions he's leaving on her face! I don't think I've ever seen Ethel Ross without a blank stare before!"

"Peanut Gallery, please quiet down!" Davon announced. "Ethel, send out your next pokemon!"

"Right." Ethel nodded as she threw another pokemon out onto the sand.

"Lapras!" Her Lapras announced.

"Lapras?" Hue asked as he took his pokedex out to analyze it.

"[Lapras]." Dean stated. "The [Transport] Pokemon. This intellectually advanced pokemon is able to understand human speech. With its mild temperament, Lapras prefers to carry humans on its back, rather than engage in pokemon battles."

"What are you doing sending it out then?" Hue asked, confused.

"This." Ethel replied. "Lapras! Sheer Cold!"

In an instant, Gumshoe was frozen solid.

"Growlithe is unable to battle!" Davon announced. "The winner is Lapras!"

"Good job Lapras." Ethel smiled. "You may return now."

Everyone gasped as Ethel gave Hue the lead again when it came to pokemon.

"Why is everyone so confused?" She asked. "Lapras detests battling. I only sent her out because otherwise, that Growlithe and its nose would prove to be the end of me."

"Ethel…" Hue began to say. Ethel then gave Hue a true, unarguable smile.

"I still believe your 'lead' is nothing more than illusion."

"In...any case…" Davon said, trying to get back on track, both trainers need to send out their next pokemon.

"Go!" Hue called out. "Gordon!"

"Rinnnooo!"

"Chansey!" Ethel announced.

"Chan-sey!" Her Chansey chimed.

"You got that from the Safari Zone area, didn't you?" Hue asked.

Ethel nodded.

As Hue held Dean up to see what Chansey was all about, Aura and Diane both rushed back to the battlefield pushing through the peanut gallery.

"There you are!" Hue exclaimed, relieved to see Aura again.

"This battle is proving to be more difficult for the both of us than I thought."

"And the gossip the peanut gallery is cooking up is getting stranger by the minute." Aura said as she bit her nail.

She turned to view the battlefield.

"What's the status?"

"Well, right now, I'm sort of winning?" Hue asked, confused.

"Sort of?" Aura wondered.

"She doesn't seem worried at all." Hue replied. "Ethel's definitely the one controlling the pace of this battle. She lost it for a little bit earlier but, she's pretty much regained her footing in this tug of war for pace control."

"Hrm…" Aura thought to herself. "Well, just remember your battling styles and try to see if you can predict her moves before she does them."

"Right." Hue nodded as he looked at the info Dean had on Chansey.

"[Chansey]. The [Egg] Pokemon. Chansey is a kind pokemon, who shares its egg with those who are sick or injured."

"Great." Hue rolled his eyes. "I think she's deliberately using pokemon that aren't offensive in nature for some reason."

"Will someone please just attack already?" A shout from the peanut gallery was heard.

"Chansey, use Egg Bomb!" Ethel called out.

"Chansey!" Chansey shot an egg at Gordon, and upon contact, it exploded.

"Gordon!" Hue called out, as smoke enveloped the Nidorino.

"You know, I think this Chansey's take on sharing its egg might not be as medically beneficial to us as a Nurse Joy's Chansey." Aura observed.

Hue had to agree with her. "Gordon!" He called again.

"Rino!" Gordon called back once the smoke cleared.

"Alright, Gordon!" Hue yelled. "Use Poison Jab!"

"Nido…."

"Chansey!" Ethel called out. "Minimize!"

"Chansey!" The smiling pokemon shrank down to miniscule levels, causing Gordon to miss his Poison Jab.

"Where the hell is it?" Hue asked. He couldn't see it at all.

"Chansey, use Egg bomb once more!" Ethel called out.

"Chan-sey!" The small chansey threw another egg at Gordon.

"Nido!" Gordon wailed out in pain.

"Gordon!" Hue called. "Do you remember where that Chansey attacked from?"

"Nidorino…" Gordon grinned at Hue.

Ethel's eyes widened.

"Alright then!" Hue shouted. "Horn Drill away!"

As Gordon drove his horn towards where the Chansey was, it returned to its regular size, and revealed itself to have lost consciousness completely.

"Chansey is unable to battle!" Davon announced. "The winner is Nidorino!"

"Go!" Ethel called out. "Venusaur!"

"Sauuuurrr!" Her Venusaur bellowed as it made its entrance.

"I knew she'd send this one out eventually…" Hue said. "Gordon, use Horn Drill once more!"

Aura bit her nail.

"Riiiiinoooo!" Gordon charged into Ethel's Venusaur. Its Horn Drill attack bounced back off the large grass type.

"Uh-oh…" Hue said.

"The thing about one hit ko moves…" Ethel stated. "Is that they are only viable options when your pokemon is already of a more powerful level than its target. Needless to say, your Nidorino cannot best Venusaur in that regard."

"Then we'll have to make do with a Poison Jab!" Hue called out as Gordon charged again.

"Venusaur." Ethel stated calmly. "Frenzy Plant."

The sun began to rise as Gordon was hit with a barrage of large spiky roots, sending sand flying up everywhere. When it finally cleared…

"Nidorino is unable to battle!" Davon announced. "The winner is Venusaur!"

"Go!" Hue called out. "Douglas!"

"Douglas?" Aura asked, concerned for Hue's wellbeing. "Does your head really hurt that much?"

Karakara broke out of her pokeball and rested in Aura's arms like a doll.

"Bone?" She asked.

"Tortle." Douglas winked at Karakara.

"Bone." Karakara looked away, pretending not to care about the battle that she clearly left her pokeball to see.

"It'll be fine." Hue said. "I have a plan." He pointed and began to shout. "Douglas, now, use Aqua Tail!"

"Tortle….Wartortle!" Douglas slammed a liquified tail down on Ethel's Venusaur.

"Saur…" The Venusaur cringed, though it did nothing in retaliation.

"It has to wait and recharge for a while after using that move, doesn't it?" Aura asked.

Ethel nodded. "Though I'm not worried." She said.

"Now Douglas!" Hue called out again. "Use Aqua Tail once more!"

"Wartortle!" Douglas shouted as he once again slapped the Venusaur with a liquid tail.

"Saur." Venusaur looked down at Douglas.

"Venusuar…" Ethel replied. "Begin charging sunlight."

Hue smiled. "Heh Douglas, use-"

Before Hue could say 'Protect', a small red leaf on the Venusaur's fang disappeared into its throat, and the Seed Pokemon let out the Solar Beam much earlier than Hue or Douglas expected.

"Wartortle is unable to battle!" Davon announced. "The winner is Venusaur!"

The crowd began to chatter with one another again.

"It's down to the last two pokemon each…"

Hue looked at the two pokemon he had left in his party.

He gulped, realizing what Ethel's _sixth_ pokemon was, knowing that it would be a very hard task to defeat it.

"Go!" Hue yelled. "Espella!"

"Eevee!" Espella called out happily.

"Awwww." The peanut gallery of a crowd swooned over the Eevee.

"Espella, don't be intimidated by its size, use Take Down!" Hue called out.

"Venusaur!" Ethel ordered. "Use Double Edge!"

The two pokemon collided with each other and Espella was sent careening back into Hue, while Venusaur only skidded towards Ethel slightly.

"Espella!" Hue called out, "Use the momentum to flip and launch a Swift attack!"

"Eeeeveeee!" Espella yelped as she did exactly what she was told and sent a large Swift right towards the Venusaur.

"Saur!" It exclaimed in surprise as Espella landed gracefully at her feet, and her swift attack caused a massive explosion upon impact.

"Saurrrr…" The Venusaur mumbled as it tried to shake off the damage. It started to glow a faint green.

"Oh!" Hue recognized that. It was Overgrow. If that meant what Hue thought it meant…

"Espella!" He called out. "You can defeat that Venusaur right here and now, but you need to give this next Swift your all! I believe in you!"

"Veee?" Espella looked at Hue with bright eyes. She turned back to the Venusaur. "Eeeveeee…" She began to glow.

"Oh my." Ethel said, showing no emotional reaction as Espella began to change shape.

"Well, isn't that a coincidence?" Aura smiled.

"Eeeeeesssspeeeooooonnnn!" Espella the Espeon called out as the light cleared away from her.

"[Espeon]." Dean informed Hue. "The [Sun] Pokemon. Espeon are able to use the fine hairs that cover their body to read air currents to predict the future as well as their opponent's next moves."

"Peoooonnn!" Espella sent out a psychic pulse into the air.

"That was Future Sight, just now!" Aura exclaimed.

"Essss…." Espella's fur began to glow in the sunlight and her scars from the earlier Double Edge began to disappear.

"Morning Sun too…" Aura replied.

"And finally, Espella also seems to have learned…" Hue said, looking at his pokedex. He closed it and pointed.

"Espella, use Psybeam!" He shouted.

The Psybeam hit the Venusaur right on its nose, and another explosion occurred.

"Saur…" The unconscious Venusaur mumbled.

"Venusaur is unable to battle!" Davon announced. "The winner is Espeon!"

"Hm." Ethel grinned. "I must say Huey, I did not expect an evolution. But I still have won this battle."

She took out her last pokeball.

Hue knew what it was.

"Gardevoir!" Ethel called as she sent out her Gardevoir.

"Espella!" Hue called out. "Use Swift!" After all, using any other of its attacks would be...well, next to useless against this pokemon.

"Gardevoir!" Ethel shouted. "Use Moonblast!"

"Voiirrrr…." Gardevoir created a small moon above her and shot a beam of magical energy at Espella.

Espella waved her forked tail and shot a Swift attack at Gardevoir. Both attacks hit both pokemon at the same time, causing each one to skid back to their tainer.

The Future Sight that Espella had cast earlier now descended onto Gardevoir, striking her down further.

Hue got excited. This, this could be it, he might be able to win this battle!

"Espella!" Hue yelled. "Use Psybeam!"

"Gardevoir!" Ethel called out. "Use Psyshock!"

"Voir!" Gardevoir sent a large amount of small psychic balls of energy straight towards Espella, creating one last explosion.

"Espeon is unable to battle!" Davon announced when it was revealed that Espella had taken too powerful an attack. "The winner is Gardevoir!"

"Gardevoir…" Ethel's Gardevoir stood up and dusted herself off.

"They're both down to their last pokemon." The crowd kept repeating variations of that phrase.

"Hue!" Donovan called before Hue could send out Arthur. "Hue, you need to come to the pokemon center quickly! Gloria, she's-"

"I'm sort of busy right now…" Hue nodded over in Ethel's direction.

"Stay and watch the rest of the battle, Donnie!" Diane suggested as she brought Donovan by the arm over to her and Ethel's side of the battlefield.

"Huey…" Aura said, biting her nail still.

"I know." Hue nodded. "Arthur is going to have a tough time in this fight…"

"Keep calm, and don't let a Moonblast hit you." Aura gave her advice.

Hue gave a single nod and turned to the battlefield.

"Go!" He called. "Arthur!"

"Gallade!" Arthur announced as he took a battle ready stance.

"Ga-!" He noticed his opponent.

"Gallade?" He asked Hue, almost not believing it.

"You'll be fine, Arthur." Hue smiled. "Just stay calm and follow my lead."

"G'lade." Arthur nodded as he turned back and assumed a battle ready stance once more.

"Gardevoir!" Ethel called out. "Use Psyshock!"

"Voir!" Gardevoir sent out another Psyshock barrage.

"Dodge it and use Fury Cutter!" Hue yelled.

"Gallade!" Arthur rolled out of the way of the Psyshock and began slashing with his elbow blades at Gardevoir, who was elegantly avoiding them.

"Keep up the Fury Cutter, Arthur!" Hue called out.

"Gardevoir…" Ethel stated. "Continue to dodge."

"Hey,look at that!" Someone from the crowd pointed out. "Doesn't it look like their dancing with each other almost?"

"Hey yeah!" Another person agreed. "Those two pokemon are totally dancing!"

"Arthur!" Hue called out. "Try switching up the order of your Fury Cutter!"

"G'lade!" Arthur tried to fake out Gardevoir with a Fury Cutter but it didn't work. Gardevoir continued to expertly dodge each attack.

Hue thought back to how well Arthur had fought when he was protecting Gloria. He didn't have that speed and power now though, with no one in danger, he couldn't fight his fiercest.

"I think it's time we wrapped this up Gardevoir…" Ethel said, almost looking embarrassed.

"I mean, it's nearly noon."

"Arceus, she's right!" Aura said, looking at a clock on her pokedex. "You guys have been at this since three am too."

"Gardevoir!" Ethel called out. "Let Arthur hit you with his next Fury Cutter!"

"What?" Most of the crowd gasped in confusion.

"G'lade!" Arthur's blade made contact with Gardevoir.

"Now, grab it!" Ethel shouted.

"Gardevoir…" Gardevoir grabbed Arthur's arm, and used his immobility to grab his other arm.

"Gallade…" Arthur gulped.

"Arthur!" Hue called, but he didn't know what he could tell Arthur to do. Arthur _needed_ to be able to move to perform all of his attacks.

"Gardevoir!" Ethel called. "Draining Kiss!"

"Voir." Gardevoir brought Arthur in close to her, and began to kiss him.

Hue could see Arthur going limp, despite every last attempt to resist.

"It kind of reminds me of a wedding…" A member of the crowd said. "Only in the reverse order event wise."

"Arthur!" Hue called.

Gardevoir removed its lips from Arthur's and glided slowly back towards Ethel.

Arthur fell to the ground on one knee, and struggled to get up. It didn't look like he would make it.

"Arthur is-" Davon began

"Wait." Ethel said. She turned back to the battle. "Gardevoir. Heal Pulse."

"Voir…." Gardevoir sent out a restoring pulse towards Arthur, causing him to rise back to his feet.

Aura bit her nail and looked away.

Davon seemed to realize what was happening, and got a grin on his face.

Donovan scratched his head, confused.

"Wait...why?" Hue asked, as Arthur slowly approached Gardevoir again, readying a Fury Cutter.

"Because-" Ethel began.

Gardevoir immobilized Arthur once more.

"We weren't done yet."

Gardevoir began another Draining Kiss on Arthur, causing the crowd to go into an uproar, and this time kept it going until Arthur fell all the way to the ground.

"Gallade is unable to battle!" Davon announced. "The winner is Gardevoir which means victory goes to Ethel Ross!"

The crowd went wild.

"Gardevoir…" The Gardevoir said as she stroked the unconscious Gallade's head, and retreated back to Ethel.

"Thank you very much, Gardevoir." Ethel said, maintaining a blank composure though her face was as red as a pokeball. "You may return now."

"R-return Arthur…" Hue said, returning his Gallade, confused as to why the second Draining Kiss happened.

Aura looked very unhappy about it.

"That is so much sneakier than I would have taken her to be." She said almost bitterly.

"R-right…" Hue looked for Donovan.

"Donovan!"

"Hue!" Donovan ran back up to Hue. "We need to go talk to Gloria."

As Donovan led Hue, Aura, and Davon back to Gloria, Diane stopped Hue momentarily.

"Ethel wants to talk to you for a sec." She said.

"What is it?" Hue asked.  
Ethel looked Hue square in the eyes.

"Arthur tried to resist the Draining Kiss. You aren't as oblivious as she says you are."

Hue could feel himself go red.

"You can't keep playing idiot forever. Eventually this is going to come up." Ethel continued speaking. "And believe me when I say that the longer you postpone it, the worse it'll leave you in the end."

Hue didn't say anything.

"I suggest…" Ethel handed Hue two tickets. Both were for a "Contest Cruise" through the Sevii Islands. "I suggest you use these as a surprise."

Hue gave a small nod.

Ethel was about to leave when she remembered something and ran back up to Hue.

"Also: Please please please participate in the Wallace Cup being held at the Seafoam Islands this year. Diane wanted me to relay that message to you."

"Thank you for the battle." Hue said as Ethel walked away again.

"Ciao." Ethel raised her wand in a goodbye wave without looking.

*Much later, Gordon's Grove*

Hue sat at the newly constructed tombstone for his mother.

He had spent his afternoon here, in silent contemplation of all that had happened to him this past week.

He sighed. "You've got it easy right now, Mom." He said.

"You got to be a hero, and now you don't have to be anything else ever."

He looked over at his father's grave. "It's a shame you're buried next to-"

He stopped.

He could feel her, just like he did earlier.

"Don't dwell on them, please." She pleaded. "I'm not good at calming people down remember?"

Hue once again put his hands over hers, and held her as close to him as he could.

Ethel had figured it out in that battle. She had used it as a way to see into Hue's deepest subconscious. That 'Ciao' she had given him earlier that day. Hue knew what it meant. Which was why, at least now, he made sure he was holding Aura close to him. Just in case Ethel was watching to make sure he was doing what she told him to.

"Well, I'd say you're the best at calming me down." Hue said with a smile. "So if it's not too much to ask, could we stay here a little longer?"

Aura's hands squeezed tighter around him.

"We'll leave when one of us has to use the bathroom." She joked, causing both of them to giggle for another thirty minutes.

The sound of the Scyther remained soft and peaceful.

No wonder Hue liked this grove so much.

(Voted Fan Favorite) Ethel's Current Team:

Party:

Butterfree: Stun Spore, Psybeam, Double Team, Bug Buzz

Ninetails: Fire Spin, Confuse Ray, Dark Pulse, Will-o-Wisp

Lapras: Rain Dance, Ice Beam, Sheer Cold, Perish Song

Chansey: Egg Bomb, Doubleslap, Minimize, Softboiled

Venusaur: Frenzy Plant, Double Edge, Solar Beam, Grass Pledge

Gardevoir: Moonblast, Psyshock, Heal Pulse, Draining Kiss

W/ Professor Oak:

Nidorina: Poison Jab, Bite, Double-Kick, Flatter

Eevee: Helping Hand, Swift, Refresh, Trump Card

Milotic: Aqua Ring, Mist, Echoed Voice, Aqua Tail

'Pets' at Viridian Gym:

Sandslash: Sandstorm, Crush Claw, Dig, Fury Cutter

Dugtrio: Fissure, Sandstorm, Sucker Punch, Earthquake

Rhyhorn: Rock Blast, Tackle, Leer, Horn Drill

Steelix: Iron Tail, Earthquake, Sandstorm, Dragon Breath

Nidoking: Earthquake, Poison Jab, Thunderbolt, Flamethrower

Golem: Explosion, Stone Edge, Magnitude, Rollout


	49. Surfin' Bird

**Quick Question, how would you guys feel about an 'opening theme' for each volume(like most shows have a theme song or games have an opening cut-scene)? It'd be like a teaser of events that are going to happen in the volume written into a theme song. I've already got possible themes written for volumes 5-9(the rest of this book basically), so if that sounds like something fun, just let me know, and I'll update this chapter to include the theme.**

* * *

Chapter 49:

Surfin' Bird

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Aqua Tail, Water Pulse

Espella(Espeon): Morning Sun, Swift, Psybeam, Future Sight

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Fury Cutter

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Bruce(Hitmonlee): Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

"Got em'!" Both Hue and Aura chimed as they held up their pokeballs for Professor Oak to see on the video phone.

"Wonderful!" He said. "So, I heard that the two of you will be heading to the Seafoam Islands for the Wallace Cup soon!"

"That's right." Aura nodded. "It's where I'll win my third ribbon!"

"It's my turn to win a ribbon, not yours." Hue said.

"There are no turns in pokemon contest war, Huey." Aura chimed. "You'll have to beat me in the contest if you want that ribbon."

"Well, be extra careful." Professor Oak warned. "Trainers travel from all over the world to participate in these contests, since the Aqua Ribbon you receive for winning can be used in any region!"

Aura's eyes lit up. "All over the world?" She looked at Hue with an expectant look.

"What?" Hue asked with a nervous laugh.

"Maybe one of them will be tech-savvy enough to unlock the rest of your pokedex!" She said, as though this should have been obvious to him.  
She was right of course, that _should_ be on his mind, but…

Hue's thoughts were occupied by the welfare of his sister.

He wanted to make sure she was perfectly safe, so he'd been calling her teacher every day for the past three days to check up on her.

She was doing fine each time, but each time, she didn't want to talk to him.

Hue didn't know why that was, after all he missed her greatly, and after their farewell conversation he thought Gloria would at least make an effort to stay in touch, but he supposed this was all for the best.

The less contact Hue and Gloria had, the less danger he would put her in.

"You okay?" Aura asked, tilting her head.

"Oh, yeah!" Hue said, coming back to reality.

Looking at Aura, he remembered the goal she wanted to achieve more than anything: placing her brother's killer behind bars.

Now, Hue had already decided that he would be the one to uncover the true identity of the man that Aura was looking for, for Aura's sake and psychological well-being, as well as his desire to know what pokemon he happened to be sharing his body with. However, with these past few days, Hue had been given another few motives to uncover the true identity behind Chandler, the boss of Neo Team Rocket, the most glaring being the desire to know how involved his own father was.

"Huey!" Aura snapped in Hue's face. "If you're going to stare into space while looking at me, at least make it look like I've captured your attention, and none of your resting derp face!"

Hue cringed.

"I have a resting derp face?"

"Just like a Slowpoke." Aura gave a sly grin, unfortunately for her, revealing that she was only messing with him.

"In any case…" Hue looked out at the Fuchsia City from the window. "I think today's the day we bid goodbye to Fuchsia, and begin heading towards Cinnabar."

"And we stop in Seafoam Islands for the Wallace Cup." Aura reminded Hue. "Where I win my third ribbon."

"I'll be the one to win the Wallace Cup." Hue grinned to Aura. "I've been training recently, and there is no way I'll lose to you."

"Big words coming from a _blind_ _man_!" Aura chimed as she stole Hue's glasses off of his face.

"Aura!" Hue chased after her as fast as he could without running into anyone. "I need those to see things clearly!"

"How many fingers am I holding up?" Aura asked as she led Hue towards Route 19.

"You aren't." Hue answered correctly. "You're just waving your free hand around like an idiot."

"I think you can see fine then." Aura shrugged as she backed up further.

"No, Aura." Hue tried to explain. "Everything is blurry for me right now. I need the glasses so that everything appears nice and sharp."

"Alright, Alright…" Aura said, still backing up and not giving Hue his glasses back.

"Then why aren't you giving me my glasses back?" Hue asked.

"Hang on, Huey, jeez!" Aura huffed. "I'll give them back to you soon, just follow a little longer…"

"Hue…" Deus said in Hue's head. "Stop here."

"What?" Hue whispered back to Deus, while clutching his now in pain temples.

"Stop here." Deus said. "If you move forwards, you'll regret it."

"Huey, come on!" Aura called from even further in front of Hue.

"Sorry Deus." Hue apologized to his head dwelling pokemon before taking another step.

The water was incredibly cold, and to make matters worse, a wave crashing against the shore wetted the bottoms of Hue's jeans.

"Dammit Aura!" Hue shouted.

"Heehee…" Aura giggled as she ran back up to Hue, a splash occurring with each step.

"Here you go, Huey." She said as she handed Hue his glasses back.

"That's better…" Hue said as he adjusted his glasses and began to turn back to Aura. "But don't think I've forgiven you-oooohh!"

Hue's surprise came from noticing that Aura had somehow stripped down to a swimsuit. It wasn't the Eevee themed one from Route 12 this time though. Instead she was wearing a bikini with a color scheme that reminded Hue of a Seaking.

"You like it?" Aura asked as she spun around and did a pose. "I bought it back in Saffron along with my other clothes, and now it seems that I get to try it out finally!"

Hue found himself, just like every time he saw Aura in a new outfit, unable to get a coherent sentence out.

"You look...I mean….I'm...And…"

Aura gave a confident smile. "I take it that's a yes then?"

Hue went red, and nodded silently, and meekly. He almost felt a little like Morren when he did so.

"I'm glad to hear that…" Aura began to walk up close to Hue.

Far too close.

She leaned in close until their faces were inches apart.

Was she trying to-?

Just as Hue was about to lean in, Aura brought up a pair of swimming trunks.

"Because I got you a matching pair!" She chimed as she shoved the new bathing suit into Hue's face.

"Why didn't you just hand these to me at the pokemon center?" Hue asked, incredibly embarrassed that he nearly fell for such an obvious ploy in hindsight. "I could have put them on in there, you know, not in public!"

"There's a bathroom right over there." Aura pointed. "You can change in there, and then meet me back here stat, because there's something else I want to show you."

"Tortle?" Douglas asked as Hue knelt down so that Douglas could get off of Hue's back, and Hue could change into his new swimming trunks.

"Sorry buddy." Hue apologized. "I know you like to ride my back places, but I need you to get off while I do this." He explained as he took of his blue jacket and gray shirt underneath.

When he looked at his shirtless reflection in the mirror, he noticed a strange bruise where his stomach was.

"That appeared when you had me use that attack back in Celadon." Deus informed Hue.

"Deus, please, no talking…" Hue clutched his head in pain again. "I still haven't completely recovered from the Morren case, so I'd prefer to be left to heal."

"But I feel that it's important, and connected to what I might be…" Deus muttered, almost like a small child mumbling their frustration at being told out by a parent.

"How old are you?" Hue asked, at least equally frustrated.

"How should I know?" Deus asked. "But I don't remember anything before being inside of you, so I wouldn't bank on anything older than eight."

"Then that makes sense…" Hue sighed, disappointed that the 'pokemon' he thought would have been a great help in solving all these mysteries wasn't even a decade old yet.

"Wartortle!" Douglas tugged on Hue's jeans.

"Oh, right…" Hue nodded at Douglas. "Thanks for reminding me to hurry up."

Hue quickly changed into his swimming trunks, which were somehow exactly his size, and looked over himself once more in the mirror.

"War…" Douglas rolled his eyes.

"Well what about you?" Hue raised an eyebrow. "Don't think I haven't seen you grooming your tail and ears."

"Tortle." Douglas gave a bashful smile and backed away from Hue.

Hue quickly made sure he was presentable once more, and then left the bathroom.

It was incredibly bright outside.

"The heck were you doing in there?" Aura asked as she waved from the very spot Hue had left her at. "I thought it was the girl who took forever to get changed!"

"Well, you don't have a pokemon in your head that points out bruises on your body." Hue countered as he and Douglas walked across the sand to where Aura was.

"Now what was this other thing you wanted to show me?"

"It's this way!" Aura grabbed Hue by the wrist and began running.

Hue couldn't help but smile at it.

She was so excited about whatever this was, and she was probably equally as excited to be able to use the swimming suits she had bought (likely with Hue's pokeyen, but eh, it was a shared fund), and whenever Aura was excited, she had this radiant smile that Hue liked a lot more than her smirks (though her smirks had also grown on him, admittedly).

If it was at all possible, Hue wanted Aura to act this excited when he showed her the tickets for the contest cruise that Ethel had given him.

"Here!" Aura stopped and pointed.

A large gathering of people along Route 19. There were various stands along the beach, and there was a strange panel of chairs which seemed to be for judges.

"Is this a contest?" Hue asked, confused.

"Nope!" Aura chimed. "Well, not the type of contest you're thinking of, Huey." She conceded. "But I guess in a sense, it is still a contest of sorts…"

She pointed to a banner that was nearly right above them.

Hue looked at it.

"Pokemon Surfing Competition." He read. "The winner receives one aquatic pokemon of their choice."

"And _look_!" Aura again pointed, this time at a large tank full of pokemon.

Hue instantly knew what Aura was after.

There was a small group of Horsea swimming around in the tank.

"Huey…" Aura turned to Hue.

"You and I are both going to enter this competition, and if you win, you'll get my Tattu for me."

Hue sighed. "I suppose I did agree to this crap when I took you as my partner."

Aura grinned and nodded. "Glad to see we're on the same page then. Now come on, we need to sign up!"

"Step right up here for registration, all beachgoers!" A strangely familiar face hollered at the top of his lungs.

"Colonel Surge?" Hue and Aura asked, both surprised.

"If it isn't Subject 4 and his little partner!" Surge recognized the two of them. "I didn't expect to see the two of you way out here."

"Same here…" Hue raised an eyebrow. "The heck is the Vermillion City Gym Leader doing down on Route 19?"

"I'm one of the judges for the Surfing Contest." Surge crossed his arms. "I'm also here to provide lifeguard assistance."

Aura tilted her head. "But aren't the pokemon the ones that are surfing?"

"Well…" Surge looked over at a few trainers, talking to their pokemon.

"You can _do_ it, Geodude!" One of them said, excited.

"As you can see," Surge continued. "Sometimes a foolish trainer uses a pokemon that doesn't quite know how to swim…"

"So, how does this competition work anyway?" Hue asked.

"It's quite simple…" Surge laid back in his beach chair to explain. "Three pokemon go on at a time, and each judge looks at one of the pokemon to evaluate them. The top three scoring pokemon from the preliminaries advance on to the final round, which is more of a three person race than it is a surfing contest. The winner of that will be crowned the winner of the whole shbang. You get all that?"

"I think so…" Hue nodded. "And the pokemon themselves are the ones surfing, right?"

"That's right." Surge replied. "And they can use any moves they know to make their ride more appealing to the judges, or in some cases, even to stay on their board."

"Hm…" Aura postured her head in a thinking position. "So that's why some of the pokemon being used can't swim...Being able to swim isn't a necessity." She looked on ahead at Colonel Surge. "Hey Colonel Surge, if you're one judge, who are the other two judges?"

"Well, you're in for a treat, missy." Surge grinned. "Cassy Waterflower's traveled down here from Cerulean to judge this competition along with her aunt, the former Gym Leader there."

"You don't mean-!" Aura's eyes brightened even further. Hue was worried they might burn out, they were shining so brightly.

"I do!" Surge laughed. "I mean Misty of the Elite 4! She's a judge here, and then she's on a non-stop boat to Seafoam in order to judge the Wallace Cup!"

"Ahhh!" Aura jumped up and hopped over to Hue with an expectant look on her face. "We _have_ to meet her, Huey! We _have to_!"

"She's over feeding the prize pokemon with her niece right now." Surge pointed.

"I'll catch up with you." Hue informed Aura. "I want to ask Surge a few more questions first."

Aura blew her hair out of her eye, disappointed in Hue's decision to talk with Colonel Surge, but she skipped over towards the large tank of aquatic pokemon to introduce herself.

"You want to talk to me?" Surge asked, confused.

"How did you know I was Subject 4 back in Vermillion?" Hue asked, seriously.

"Listen, kid. Some things are better left unsolved. I'm sure you know that." Surge put his sunglasses on to give himself a better poker face.

"I disagree…" Hue shook his head. "I think, no matter what the answer, the truth is better off being known."

"You're not going to like it." Surge shrugged.

"Compared to what I've found out this past week, I think I'll be fine." Hue replied.

Surge nodded. "Very well then kid. I knew you were Subject 4 because I know Chandler personally. He told me nearly everything that went down in that lab."

"And have you gone to the police with this information?"

Surge laughed. "'Course I did! How do you think the police even found you guys in the first place? But what's unfortunate is that Chandler and I...we never met in person, so I couldn't point him out in a crowd. We only ever talked over the phone."

"And, what exactly did he tell you over the phone?"

"I'll never forget one thing he said in particular…" Surge's face turned dark.

"He called me up frantically one day, to reveal that _his daughter died_."

"D-died?" Hue asked, concerned.

"It was apparently so bad he started seeing double. Can you imagine seeing your six year old daughter's corpse, right next to another one of the same? It's no wonder that man was driven as insane as he is now. He's still trying you know?"

"Know what?"

"He's trying to bring his daughter back."

Hue suddenly felt a rather large twinge of clarity shoot into his mind.

Suddenly, Neo Team Rocket's nonsensical raising the dead experiment in Lavender town seemed to make perfect sense.

It was the product of a man who had lost his mind, trying to accomplish an impossible goal.

Hue suddenly didn't feel like goofing around and surfing.

"Huey!" Aura called, quite forcefully, from the top of the large tank of aquatic pokemon. "Get up here and let me introduce you to Misty!"

Hue waved to let them know he would be right there. He turned to Surge as he filled out his paperwork for registering Douglas for the Surfing Contest.

"Surge, you know all this stuff…" Hue took out the journal entry he had taken from Annette. "What can you tell me about this?"

"That...I have no clue what that is." Surge shook his head. "But if you want my honest opinion, the way it looks so burnt, I'd say the rest of it is in the lab he kept you in while you were kidnapped."

"Alright…" Hue nodded as he put the journal entry back into his bag and hurried up to where Aura was impatiently waiting. "Thank you Surge, and sorry to bother you about this."

"No problem." Surge said in a gruff voice.

"Swanson!" He called after a second had passed.

Hue turned around.

"Subject 3 came to talk to me earlier. They want to relay a message to you."

"Subject 3?" Hue turned around confused.

He knew that Subject 1 was Phineas Jones, Aura's deceased brother.

He knew that Subject 2 was that girl with the Dragonite doll who he had worked together with to save each other from the collapsing lab.

He knew that he himself was Subject 4, but the only thing Hue knew about Subject 3's identity was that they were considered a thorn in Chandler's side.

"What did they say?" Hue asked, eager to know what this mysterious person wanted him to know.

"They said to tell you that only you can provide the proof of Chandler's true identity." Surge replied. "But they also said that only _they_ can be the one to face Chandler when the time comes."

"Did they say anything else?" Hue asked. "Who are they, and what did they look like? Was it a boy or a girl?"

"They _did_ say one more thing…" Surge kicked back in his chair again. "They wanted to remain anonymous, and that if you pried into their identity, I was to stop giving you information."

"Hrm…" Hue growled as he adjusted his bag, and continued on his way to where Aura was tapping her foot, her patience running thinner than film.

"So this is Hue, is it?" Misty asked with a bit of a chuckle. She was a short woman, in her mid 50's if Hue had to guess.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Hue gave a respectable bow to this member of the Elite 4 of the Indigo Area.

"I heard from Aura here that the two of you are going to compete in the Wallace Cup." Misty continued. "If you wish, I can give the two of you a lift there on my boat. We'll dock down just in time for you to be the first ones to sign up for it."

"That sounds...great!" Hue said, taking Aura's quite obvious glare as a cue to accept the offer.

"Trainers!" Surge shouted into a megaphone.

"The Surfing Contest is now underway! Will these three people please step up to the judging panel?"

As Surge read off the names of the trainers, Aura and Hue looked at each other, and nodded, then walked back down to the beach.

"And we have our three finalists!" Surge shouted through his megaphone. "We have...Aura and her Psyduck, Kodu, currently in third place!"

"Way to go, Kodu!" Aura encouraged her Psyduck.

"Duck…" Kodu titled her head in a confused manner.

"In second place we have….Hue and his Wartortle, Douglas!" Cassy, another judge, yelled through her own megaphone.

"Finally, in first place…" Misty announced through her own Megaphone…

"Is… Twilight and her Tentacruel!"

"What?!" Both Hue and Aura asked aloud in shock as Twilight moved onto the scene along with them.

"Not you two again!" She complained.

"Wait…" Hue looked around. "I don't see that blonde one anywhere…"

"Cherry's off someplace with Victor right now…" Twilight looked down.

Hue and Aura got matching grins on their faces.

"Shut up." Twilight rolled her eyes. "I'm just here to win this damn contest and get my hands on that Gyarados in there…" She pointed to the aquatic tank.

Hue nodded. That did seem like the pokemon Twilight would want.

"Trainers!" Misty announced with her megaphone. "Have your pokemon take their starting positions!"

Hue had an idea creep into his mind as Douglas took his starting position.

"Aura…" He said to Aura as Kodu took her own starting position.

"Yeah?" Aura looked back at Hue. "What is it?"

"When the race starts, don't go straight, have Kodu swim up to where Douglas is."

"W-why?" Aura asked confused.

Hue gave a wink before adjusting his glasses so that his eyes were blocked by the glare from the sun's light.

"You'll see. Just trust me on this one."

Aura shrugged, but nodded as well.

"Go!" Surge yelled at the top of his lungs through his megaphone.

"Tentacruel, get out there!" Twilight yelled as her Tentacruel took off at a high speed.

"Kodu!" Aura called out. "Swim to Douglas!"

"Duck?" Kodu asked, confused, but listened to her trainer and swam up onto Douglas's shell.

"Douglas!" Hue called out. "Use and Aqua Tail and Rapid Spin combo to motor yourself forwards!"

"War!" Douglas yelled as he began to do what he was told, and zoomed forwards, causing Kodu to cling on for dear life.

"Psy-aye-aye-aye…" Kodu continued to scream as Douglas skidded across the water faster than he had ever moved on land, right passed Twilight's Tentacruel.

"What's this?" Cassy asked through her megaphone. "It looks like Douglas is ferrying Kodu across the water and into first place!"

"Oh, hell no…" Twilight said, shaking her head. "Tentacruel, Wrap!"

"Cruelllll…" Tentacruel hissed as it extended its 80 tentacles to stop Douglas from going any further.

"Tortle!" Douglas screamed as he was stopped suddenly.

"Duuuucccckkkk!" Kodu yelled as she was flown from Douglas's shell all the way back to the starting point.

"Cruel…." Tentacruel let go of Douglas and continued on its way.

"Douglas!" Hue called.

"Torrrrr…" Douglas floated to the top of the water, unconscious.

"Douglas is unconscious!" Misty yelled through her megaphone as Surge dove into the water to bring the unconscious pokemon back to shore before it drowned. "Hue and Douglas are out of the race…"

"Dammit!" Hue stomped his foot on the ground. "Sorry Aura, we tried to help...but…"

"It's fine Huey!" Aura chimed.

"Kodu!" She yelled to her Psyduck, who was struggling to catch up to Twilight's Tentacruel. "You can do it, Kodu! I believe in you! Douglas did too, that's why he tried to help you! Show everyone what you can do when you set your mind to it!"

"Duck." Kodu's eyes began to glow their psychic glow, and she began to speed up, kicking rapidly.

"What the?" Twilight asked as her Tentacruel looked back to see the Psyduck gaining on it.

"Go Kodu!" Aura called. "Go! Do it for Douglas and Huey! Don't make their efforts go unrewarded!"

"Psyyyyy…." Kodu's voice rose as her glow began to spread from her eyes to the rest of her body, and she picked up even more speed.

"Duuuuucccckkkkk…."

A bunch of trainers began to crowd around as Kodu's glowing body began to change shape.

"And now…" Aura gave a grin. "Give that Tentacruel a taste of its own medicine with a Zen Headbutt!"

The light cleared away from Kodu to reveal a much leaner duck pokemon than before, which was now blue in color.

"Golduck!" Kodu yelled as her head rammed into the Tentacruel, throwing it far into the air.

"She evolved!" Hue stated the obvious as he held up Dean to learn more about it.

"[Golduck]." Dean stated. "The [Duck] Pokemon. Golduck is very adept at using its webbed hands and feet, making it the fastest swimming pokemon of all. It makes its home in lakes and is able to swim faster than a gold medalist."

"Cruel?" The Tentacruel shouted, astonished, from the air it had been thrust into.

"Duuuuccckk! Golduckkk!" Kodu shouted as she zoomed past the finish line, causing a large wave to splash Hue, Aura, and Twilight, who were all very close to the shoreline.

"Whew!" Aura said as she moved her hair behind her ears. She turned to Hue. "I'm glad these suits actually came in handy today.'

Hue gave a small laugh.

He was just glad that he hadn't cost Aura her chance at the Horsea she wanted so much.

"Ready to go?" Misty asked a now dry and fully clothed Hue and Aura as the two of them approached her and the boat she was taking to the Seafoam Islands.

Twilight was also aboard the boat.

"Don't tell me that you're…" She began.

"They're heading to the Wallace Cup contest as well!" Misty told Twilight, "So I thought I might as well offer them rides."

"Hrm…" Twilight grumbled as she pointed to Aura's new Horsea, which Aura had nicknamed Tattu, just like she said she would, inside what amounted to a small fish bowl.

"Can you at least put _that_ away?" Twilight asked. "I was finally so close to actually winning one of these things for once…"

"I can't put my precious little Tattu away just yet!" Aura held back Tattu's bowl defensively.

"Maybe you could let her swim with Kodu?" Hue pointed to Kodu the Golduck, swimming around the boat, enjoying her newfound speed.

"Golduck!" She beamed as she surfaced, and welcomed Tattu in.

"Huey…" Aura gave a grin as she let Tattu into the water with Kodu.

She sent out Karakara, and picked up her Cubone to be held like a doll.

A bruised Douglas gave a grin at Karakara from behind Hue's back.

The Cubone raised its bone as though it was going to bonk Douglas on the head, but instead, simply turned away with a "Cu." as a 'hmph.'

"What is it?" Hue asked.

Aura leaned in close to Hue's ear, and Hue could feel himself go red again.

He wondered if this was going to be like Cerulean, where she had kissed him on the cheek...

The second he could feel her breath, she stopped short.

"Tattu is a boy." She whispered with a grin.


	50. Seafoam Islands! The Wallace Cup!

Chapter 50:

Seafoam Islands! The Wallace Cup!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Aqua Tail, Water Pulse

Espella(Espeon): Morning Sun, Swift, Psybeam, Future Sight

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Fury Cutter

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Bruce(Hitmonlee): Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

"Whoa!" Aura's and Twilight's eyes both lit up as they gave extravagant gasps at the largeness of the contest hall that had been built into the side of one of the two main mountains of the Seafoam Islands. The whole place was themed for water pokemon, to go along with the favorite type of the trainer the Wallace Cup was named for.

"This is incredible!" Twilight ran up to Misty. "And we're going to be the first coordinators to sign up?"

"Maybe not the very first…" Misty gave a hearty laugh. "But definitely in at least the first ten!"

"This...this isn't for only water types is it?" Hue asked, looking around as Douglas jumped off his back.

"Tortle…" Douglas seemed to be having similar thoughts.

"Oh, of course not…" Misty laughed. "Though, a water pokemon goes quite a long ways in this particular contest, considering our judges…"

"Ah, Misty!" A man with strange blueish green hair walked up to where Misty was. "I'm glad you could arrive. Now we're only waiting on Andle…."

Hue's jaw dropped.

He recognized this man. Who wouldn't?

This was the very Wallace that this contests were named after. A near legendary trainer who had become Top Coordinator and Hoenn League Champion a long time ago, all with a trusty Milotic by his side.

Hue found himself thinking back to the very first contest he had competed in.

Ethel had used a Milotic then, and she seemed very eager about contests. Perhaps she had gotten her performance from watching Wallace.

"Hello young man!" Wallace smiled at Hue.

He looked young, but in reality, this man was about a decade older than Misty. The years had been very kind to him.

"I'm Hue Swanson!" Hue gave a quick bow. "I...It's an honor to meet you, sir!"  
"Now now…" Wallace laughed. "The pleasure is all mine. I don't often have the time to mingle with fellow coordinators in my busy schedule, and I can tell that you've been raising your Wartortle with the utmost care…"

He gave Douglas a glance.

"Are you going to use him in the contest?"  
"Well…" Hue laughed. "I _plan_ to. But I guess I'd need to pass the Performance Stage first."

"Wallace!" Twilight ran up to him, she held up her Tentacruel's pokeball.

"Would you please appraise my Tentacruel's condition? I'm really curious about what a professional coordinator like you thinks!"

"Oh my!" Wallace smiled as he observed Twilight's Tentacruel as it basked in a fountain in the lobby.

"Yes, yes, you're doing an excellent job young miss!" He kept the same upbeat grin.

"I dare say, this pokemon exudes an incredible aura, much like a rough sea during the storm, tough and rugged, but with a type of gloomy beauty about it that can only be attained by carefully raising such a magnificent creature!"

Twilight's mismatched eyes flickered with happiness.

"Thanks so much Wallace, your words mean a lot!"

"Don't just stop at my words though…" Wallace encouraged Twilight. "Aim for the top. If you continue to raise your pokemon in this fashion, I'm sure that you might even become a Top Coordinator someday!"

After Twilight left, happy with what she had heard, Wallace turned back to Hue.

"And what pokemon do you plan to use in the performance stage?" Wallace asked.

"I've never really used him for a Performance Stage before…" Hue admitted.

"But my Cloyster, Cooper and I have been practicing really hard lately, and I think we can make it!"

"Marvelous!" Wallace gestured with a smile. "Truly we have someone who understands and appreciates the beauty of water type pokemon on our hands!"

Hue let out a nervous laugh.

It was only a coincidence that both his pokemon were water type. He had only asked Misty about the rules earlier because he wanted to make sure Aura would still be able to compete. He knew for a fact that Aura didn't plan to use both of _her_ water type pokemon.

She had only recently gotten Tattu after all, and it didn't look like he would be much help in battles or performances on land.

"Well then Misty…" Wallace turned to Misty. "Come, we must continue setting up. Andle knows where to find us when he gets here."

"Who's Andle?" Hue asked.

"Hm?" Wallace turned.

"Oh that's right. I forgot that the goof likes to hid his name from the common people and whatnot…" Wallace took a bow. "Only your region's current Champion, Andle Ross!"

Hue froze up.

Ethel's father was the third judge?

He scratched his head in contemplation.

"Why is the Champion of the Indigo Area judging a contest?"

"Because it's the Wallace Cup, Huey!" Aura huffed, appearing beside him.

"You think that any old Nurse Joy will do this time? No way! We need the _big guns_ for this event!"

"Oh no, no no…" I could hear Andle Ross's voice say as Aura and I turned to see Ethel, Diane, and Andle Ross, the Champion, appear before us.

"I'm not a fan of guns, no not at all...Terrifying weapons they are. We must leave those matters to the police, yes."

He took notice of Hue. "Would Mr. Swanson like a gun?"

"I-I'm good but thanks for the offer…" Hue laughed nervously.

"Father, please…" Ethel rolled her eyes. "You said you wouldn't embarrass me…"

"I said many things, didn't I?" Andle laughed as he took notice of Wallace.

"Wallace! I've arrived! Come tell me, where is Misty? She could have at least asked me for a ride in her boat too…She knows I detest using my own pokemon to fly and ferry me places…"

"What's up Huey? Aura?" Diane waved as she ran up to Hue and Aura.

"Not much." Aura said as she held out Tattu's pokeball. "I just won the cutest thing ever in a surfing contest is all!"

"Cool!" Diane held out her own pokeball. "I didn't win it in a surfing contest, but I got my own new pokemon to show off today!"

Diane quickly looked at Hue, before saying…

"Hey Aura, do you mind if I talk to Huey alone for a bit?"

"I suppose not…" Aura shrugged. "But bring him back when you're done."

"What am I?" Hue asked. "A stuffed animal?"

"Your jacket is soft like one." Aura said with a sly grin.

Hue rolled his eyes as Diane brought him off to a small hallway in the contest hall.

"This is the second time I've been dragged away by either you or Ethel in a contest hall." Hue noted. "In a row too, so this better be important."

"It is!" Diane pointed up to a banner. "The final battle of the Wallace Cup is going to be held on _Valentine's Day!_ "  
"And?" Hue asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" Diane gestured. "You're going to ask Aura to be your Valentine!"

"And?" Hue asked again.

"And-..." Diane began to go into further detail about her plan before she stopped short.

"Wait, you already _were_ going to ask her?"

Hue found himself blushing as he looked away.

"W-well, we do travel together, and the thought had crossed my mind…"

"Well listen up, and listen good." Diane said. "The winner of the Wallace Cup gets to take one guest of his or her choosing to a special Seafoam Islands dinner on the beach with both Wallace and Misty!"

"Whoa whoa…" Hue put his arms out. "I think that might a little, I dunno, too much?"

"Nonsense, you oblivious buffoon!" Diane shook her head, her long red curls flickering like a fire. "You're going to win and invite Aura on this, I've decided!"

"Aren't you participating?" Hue asked, confused.

"Well, yes…" Diane nodded. "But If I happen to win, I'll just give the prize over to you! Come on, unlike _you_ , I actually have been paying attention to your actions. I know you want this to happen!"

"I…." Hue was having trouble getting the words out.

"Nope!" Diane held out a hand. "I'm not going to listen to what you say. As the sister that still talks to you regularly, it's my _responsibility_ to meddle in your love life!"

"...hate you so much right now…" Hue finished up, though his grin betrayed his words.

The two shook hands and Hue walked back to where Aura was.

"What were you talking about for so long over there?" She asked with a sly smile.

"O-oh!" Hue looked around nervously, hoping he wasn't as red as he already knew he was.  
"Nothing really, just some...sibling stuff…"

"Lucky…" Aura looked down.

Hue instantly realized how stupid of a thing that was to say and put his hand on her shoulder.

"I...I'm sorry that something like that had to happen to you…" He said.

"Mm." Aura gave a nod before quickly shaking her head.

"No, can't think stuff like that right now! We gotta think contest, Huey! _Contest_!"

"Right!" Hue smiled.

Hue, Aura, and Diane then all separated so that they could change into their costumes for the Wallace Cup.

"Mother of Mew, Sir Hue Swanson!" Davon Le Rouge approached Hue as he entered the waiting room.

Hue was clad in a Blue naval uniform.

"This feels so...odd…" He said.

"You look fantastic!" Davon outstretched his arms. "The color especially brings out the-"

It was at around this moment that Hue stopped listening to Davon's praise upon realizing that Davon was wearing the exact same naval uniform...only in a lighter shade of blue.

"You've got to be kidding me." Hue sighed. "I go out of my way to dress up for this one contest, and I'm already wearing the same thing as someone else?"

"Now now, Sir Hue Swanson!" Davon bowed as he began to preen his gelled hair. "There is no need to sigh over having an extraordinary fashion sense!"

"But I…" Hue began. He looked away.

He wasn't sure telling Davon of all people was a good idea.

"You…?" Davon seemed curious.

"I had Aura pick this out for me…" Hue admitted. "I'm no good when it comes to shopping for clothes and such."

"Indeed…" Davon nodded his head. "Miss Jones does seem to have a keen interest in dressing up for contests. It comes as no surprise that she would know what to pick out for a first timer…"

"This...isn't my first contest…" Hue reminded Davon.

"Of course not, I know that." Davon said. "It's your first time that you've actually looked the part though."

Hue cringed.

That wasn't the reason why he wasn't performing as well as his first time was it?

"Da-da-da daaaaah!" Aura chimed as she entered the waiting room.

"Sir Hue?" Davon asked. "Why are you looking away?"

"Because…" Hue mumbled. "I'll go mute if I don't."

"I think you might want to look Huey…" Aura said in a tone that let Hue know that if he _didn't_ look, he'd be in a lot of trouble.

He turned out to see Aura dressed up in a mermaid costume, many sequins creating scales for a dress from her waist, and what appeared to be a Shellder bra.

Aura posed. "Lookin' good right?"

Hue turned back around again.

"Yes." He choked out.

"Huh?" Aura asked as she began to move closer to Hue.

"Upupupup!" Davon came to Hue's rescue. "Miss Jones, Sir Hue is suffering from a rather tremendous nosebleed right now." Davon brushed his hand through his gelled hair. "Please, allow him this time to himself. He wishes not for you to see him in such a state."

Hue could feel Aura's piercing gaze.

"Alright…" She said. "I'll leave him be for now. But he'll have to talk to me sooner or later…"

She went off to go mingle with other coordinators.

"Ugh, that was close…" Hue sighed, wiping his nose.

"I'll say…" Davon agreed. "You planning on anything for Valentine's day?"

"I'm planning on winning this contest and surprising her with that beach dinner thing that you get for winning."

"Oh dear…" Davon said, looking away. "This _is_ a problem…"

"What do you mean?" Hue asked.

Davon pointed to where Aura was talking to Karen.

"Because I am going to finally woo lovely Miss Walls over with that very dinner!" He proclaimed.

"I'm sorry Sir Hue Swanson, but I shall not, under any circumstances, allow you to win the Wallace Cup."

Hue felt a determination that he hadn't felt for a long time. This was the perfect opportunity for him.

The perfect opportunity to defeat the trainer that he couldn't back in Pewter City.

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Hue grinned.

*Contest: Performance Stage*

"Welcome one and all to the Wallace Cup!" The announcer announced quite enthusiastically as a large audience cheered so loud one could see the glass ceiling of the stadium vibrate.

"We have lots of people participating today, but only the top eight coordinators will move on to the next round."

"Wooooooo!" The audience cheered.

Wallace, Misty, and Andle all sat in their judges chairs.

"We have special celebrity judges judging this wonderful event today!" The announcer handed the microphone off to Wallace.

"Hello! I am Wallace! I am an avid fan of pokemon contests and battles, and hope to see some extravagant performances today, just like the rest of you charming people in the audience!"

"Woooooo!"

Wallace handed the microphone to Misty.

"Hello!" Misty introduced herself. "I'm Misty of the Elite 4! I absolutely love pokemon and can't wait to see the performances that these coordinators have in store for us all!"

"Woooooo!"

Misty handed the microphone to Andle.

"Hello! I am Champion Andle Ross!" He gave a bow as he introduced himself. "I am honored to be serving as a judge today! Both my wife and daughter are amazing coordinators, and I look forward to seeing trainers with coordination skills equal to their own! I have complete faith that you not a single one of us pokemon lovers will be disappointed!"

"Wooooooooooooo!" The crowd cheered louder for the champion than for the other two judges.

Hue thought that made sense.

He _was_ the champion after all.

Hue tried to imagine Ethel cheering for her father...but no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't imagine her getting any louder than a slightly raised voice.

"First up, we have Karen Walls!"

Karen walked out onto the stage, and the crowd cheered for her.

Hue looked over to see that Davon was staring intently at the screen.

He had to admire Davon's persistence considering Karen didn't seem to want anything to do with him.

"Go!" Karen called out. "Leafeon!"

"Leeeaaaafeeeooonnnnn!" The Leafeon howled as it was sent out.

The crowd went wild.

"Huh…" Hue brought Dean up to analyze.

"[Leafeon]." Dean stated. "The [Verdant] Pokemon. Leafeon is always surrounded by fresh clean air because it uses photosynthesis just like a plant."

"Leafeon!" Karen called out. "Use Sunny Day!"

"Leeaaaaffff!" Leafeon brightened the sun's rays even further, causing the Verdant pokemon to start glowing as though it was magical.

"Now Leafon!" Karen called out "Synthesis!"

"Eeeoooonnnn!" Leafeon's body contued to brighten and saturated in the bright sunlight, creating a healthy glow around it that sent the audience into a frenzy.

"Now Leafeon!" Karen announced. "Grasswhistle!"

"Leeaaaffffeeeooonnn!" The Leafeon began to sing and whistle enchantingly.

When Leafeon was done with its song, and Karen and Leafeon took a bow, The crowd erupted into applause.

"Well well!" The announcer said. "What a performance from Karen Walls! Up next we have…"

Hue stopped paying attention.

There would be a lot of coordinators he didn't care about going up before he, Aura, Diane, or Davon would be called up.

"That was really good, Karen!" Aura said as Karen entered the waiting room.  
"Thank you…" Karen looked around.

"I just hope I'll be able to make it to the battle round this time."

"I'm sure you will." Diane smiled. "We all will, this time, with an eight person limit! There's no way any of us will fail in this first round!"

"That's confident…" Hue said.

"Don't tell me that you don't intend to win…" Aura smirked. "I was looking forward to you finally proving your first win to not be a fluke."

"Oh, I'm going to win." Hue returned Aura's smirk as best he could. "You'll be surprised, I guarantee it."

After a while had passed, Aura was called up onto the stage.

"Next we have, Aura Jones from Saffron City!" The announcer announced.

Aura waved to a heavily cheering audience as she walked out onto the stage.

"Go!" She tossed her Safari Ball up in the air. "Huey!"

Hue could feel himself blush at the name.

It was both amazing and embarrassing to have a pokemon named after himself.

At that exact moment…

The power to to the contest hall went out.

"Don't worry!" The announcer said. "While the waiting area will remain without power for a little while, the rest of the hall can run on a backup generator!"

Hue nearly kicked the wall in frustration.

He wanted to know what the pokemon that was named after him was!

By the time the power came back on, Aura was already back in the waiting room.

"You didn't….bribe anyone to do that on purpose did you?" Hue asked Aura.

"Oh, no absolutely not." Aura shook her head.

She pointed through a small window where the contestants could see the lobby.

Ethel was standing next to the fuse breaker.

"I simply asked Ethel to do it. She was more than happy to 'play the prank on her father'."

Hue shook his head with a sigh.

Of course something like that happened.

"At least tell me I didn't miss anything really spectacular…'

"Well, you missed seeing the pokemon that was named after-"

"I said to tell me that I _didn't_ miss anything!" Hue protested.

"Hubert Swanson?" A manager asked. "You're up soon buddy!"

As I took my spot in the wings, I saw Twilight begin her own performance.

"Go, Tentacruel!" Twilight called out as she sent out her Tentacruel.

"Crueeelllll!" The Tentacruel said as it used its tentacles to support itself on land.

"Tentacruel, use Toxic Spikes!" Twilight called out.

"Cruel!" Tentacruel shot out a bunch of Toxic Spikes all over the ground.

"Now, Whirlpool!"

"Tenta...crueellll!" Tentacruel created a whirlpool, causing all the Toxic Spikes on the ground to rise up along with the vortex of water.

"Now, rapid fire Bubblebeam!" Twilight announced.

"CruelCruelCruelCruelCr-" Tentacruel continuously shot Bubblebeam after Bubblebeam at the toxic spikes in the Vortex, each time, knocking one out of the whirlpool until finally, all the spikes had been knocked into a house of cards formation.

Twilight and Tentacruel both took their bows and the crowd went absolutely nuts again.

"T-that was pretty good…" Hue found himself saying as Twilight passed him on her way back to the waiting area.

"Yeah?" Twilight asked. "Well then, let's hope you can live up to what you've been professing for the past few days, Swanson."

"Next up, we have Hue Swanson of Fuchsia City!" The announcer announced as Hue stepped out onto the stage.

Hue was surprised by how large the applause was.

Truly, these people were all here because they loved contests.

Hue took a single, but deep and firm breath, and exhaled.

"Go, Cooper!" He yelled as he sent out his Cloyster.

"Cloysssss…." Cooper hissed.

The audience already cheered.

"Cooper!" Hue called out right way "Use Icicle Crash!"

"Cloy...ster!" Cooper summoned a giant Icicle that came crashing down into the ground.

"Now!" Hue yelled. "Use Spike Cannon!"

"Cloys!" Cooper began to shoot his large spikes from his shell."

"Amazing!" The announcer said. "Cloyster is sculpting an ice sculpture!"

"Cloyster!" Cooper announced as he finished his sculpture.

"Wow!"

"Incredible!"

"Would you look at that folks?" The announcer asked as Hue and Cooper took a marvelous bow.

"Cooper has created an ice sculpture of the legendary bird pokemon Articuno! It truly feels as though the Freezing pokemon itself were standing here right now!"  
"Wooooooo!" The crowd cheered.

Cooper and Hue grinned at each other as the walked back into the waiting area.

Hue walked passed Diane who was waiting in the wings.

He regretted that the trip meant he likely wouldn't get to see her performance, but judging by the cheering he heard the crowd giving Diane as Hue entered the waiting room, he felt that Diane was doing perfectly well.

"I'm going to be up soon…" Davon said as he adjusted his uniform. "Sir Swanson, let us hope we both succeed and make it into the second round."

"Yes, let's." Hue nodded..

After a few more coordinators went up and showed off their pokemon's coordination skills, it was finally Davon's turn, and he was still not even close to being the last coordinator to go up on stage and perform. He was only the last one Hue was interested in seeing.

"Let's give it up for Davon Le Rouge!" The announcer announced as Davon came out onto the stage.

Hue felt a little jealous that the crowd was giving Davon larger initial cheers than he had received.

"Go!" Davon called out. "Poliwhirl!"

"Poli, poli!" Davon's Poliwhirl saluted the audience.

"Woooo!" They all cheered right away.

Hue held his pokedex up the the Poliwhirl.

"[Poliwhirl]." Dean informed him. "The [Tadpole] Pokemon. Its highly developed muscles allow Poliwhirl to move efficiently on land, plus it is even more agile in water."

"Huh." Hue said, wondering what Davon had planned.

"Poliwhirl!" Davon called out.

"Bubblebeam!"

"Polipolipolipolipolipolipoli-" The Poliwhirl began blowing out bubbles rapidly in beams as the bubbles began to build up around it.

"Now!" Davon announced as he brushed his gelled hair back. "Poliwhirl, use Double Slap!"

"Poli….whirrrrrrrrllllll!" Poliwhirl's arms moved like a windmill, causing every bubble they hit to pop extravagently, almost as if Davon was creating…

"Those are water fireworks!" Hue realized.

"Those are the water fireworks that Douglas made back at Rock Tunnel!"

"They're a _little_ different than that…" Aura said. "But I can totally see where you're coming from.

"Woooooooo!" The audience cheered Davon and his Poliwhirl on.

"Now Poliwhirl!" Davon called out. "Rain Dance!"

"Polllliiiii!" Poliwhirl began to dance around, and a large downpour of rain poured over it.

"Finally…" Davon took out a strange blue stone from his uniform pocket.

"Evolve!" He commanded.

Poliwhirl caught the stone without looking, held it up towards the rain cloud that its Rain Dance was pouring out of, and began to glow a bright light, grow, and change shape until finally, both the light and the rain cleared, to reveal a sparkling clean…

"Poliwrath…" Davon's new Poliwrath stated to the audience.

"Wooooooooooooooo!" The audience completely lost it with the evolution.

Hue held up his pokedex.

"[Poliwrath]." Dean said. "The [Tadpole] Pokemon. Poliwrath is an excellent swimmer and its powerful muscles make its attacks extremely effective."

Davon and Poliwrath took a bow and received a very large applause from the audience.

About thirty minutes after the last coordinator went, the announcer tapped their microphone.

"Attention coordinators!" They said, enthusiastically. "The top eight of you have been chosen to move on to the Battle Stage! Please take a look at the monitor!"

Hue's eyes scanned the monitor.

Davon Le Rouge was in first place with 29 points.

Aura Jones was in second place with 28 points.

A coordinator Hue didn't know with the name of Signia Summers was in third place with 27 points.

Twilight and Karen were both tied for fourth place with 26 points.

Sixth place was Diane with 25 points.

Seventh place was another coordinator that Hue didn't know, named Arolina Autumn, with 24 points.

Finally, in last place, with 23 points…

…

…

…

….Was Hue.

He breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that he had made it into the battle stage. Even if only just barely.

"Wow…" Aura said. "Talk about lucky, hunh Huey?"

"Y-yeah…" Hue stuttered, still nervous.

If he was going to win this contest, he and Douglas would need to really work.

"Now Coordinators!" The announcer announced cheerfully. "Pay attention to your starting matchups for tomorrow!"

Everyone looked at the board.

Davon VS Twilight

Aura VS Signia

Arolina VS Karen

Diane VS Hue

"Oooooh!" Diane's eyes lit up. "I finally get to battle you, Huey!" She chimed.

Hue gulped.

If he was going up against Diane, the powerhouse trainer that she was, he would need to make extremely sure that Douglas didn't get hit even once, or else his chances of winning the Wallace Cup, the seafoam dinner, and most importantly, his second ribbon, would all go down the drain…

* * *

 **Sorry about the postponed upload date. I had a bunch of stuff going on recently school wise so I'm sure you can understand. In any case though, woot! Chapter freakin' 50! (Still not even halfway there yet, but we're close!)**

 **Also, if you guys like this story, be sure to check out Hope's Peak West: Descent into Madness, involving the same characters imagined in a different universe. It already has the entire 1st case uploaded so please check it out! (It's perfect for those of you who want to see Hue and Ethel together)**

 **Anyway, once again, sorry about the postponed upload date. Hopefully I won't have to postpone an upload ever again, so there's that. Don't worry! You'll get your valentine's day chapter on Valentine's Day!**


	51. Wallace Cup Finals!

Chapter 51:

Wallace Cup Finals!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Wartortle): Protect, Rapid Spin, Aqua Tail, Water Pulse

Espella(Espeon): Morning Sun, Swift, Psybeam, Future Sight

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Fury Cutter

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Bruce(Hitmonlee): Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

"Welcome everyone!" The announcer announced as the audience members all filed into their seats. "It's time for the Battle Stage!"

Hue could hear all this happening as he was standing alone, under the stage, on a circular platform.

"For our first match of the day…" The announcer began.

Hue thought back quickly on the drawing order of the matches yesterday.

"The person with the lowest score of the two of you will draw from this hat!" Wallace had instructed everyone. "That will determine the order in which your battles are viewed."

Hue remembered reaching his hand into the hat...and drawing the number 1.

He wasn't quite sure how he felt about it right now.

He didn't want to start of Valentine's day by falling flat on his face first thing in the morning, and Diane was definitely full of energy today.

"It's an incredible twist of fate that this should happen here today at the Wallace Cup, on Valentine's Day!" The announcer continued. "But we have a battle between siblings, both born of different parents!"

"Eh-heh…" Hue gave a small laugh, as he looked at Douglas, who was clinging to his back.

"You ready for a workout, Douglas?" Hue asked.

"Wartortle!" Douglas put his fist into the air as he cheered.

The platform they were standing on began to rise, and Hue was nearly blinded by the sudden amount of light his eyes were taking in.

Diane appeared on the other side of the stage, with a hand on her Gyarados.

"Look at that, Gyagara!" She said cheerfully. "Huey's using a water type too!"

"It looks like the first match will be between Diane's Gyarados and Hue's Wartortle!" The announcer exclaimed, excitedly.

"Coordinators, are you ready?"

"Yes!" Both Diane and Hue answered at the same time.

A large, _really large_ , monitor descended from the ceiling, showing Diane's portrait and bar of points on one side, and Hue's portrait and bar of points on the other side.

"5!" A large booming voice came from the monitor as it began to count down.

"4!"

The audience began to join in.

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Battle Start!"

DIANE VS HUE

"Gyagara, use Hydro Pump!" Diane called out almost immediately.

Hue took a breath.

"Douglas!" He retaliated. "Rapid Spin to avoid it!"

"Tortle!" Douglas tucked into his shell and rapidly spun around the incoming blast of water, narrowly dodging the Hydro Pump, causing Diane's point bar to decline ever so slightly.

"Now, Water Pulse!" Hue yelled.

"War!" Douglas shot a Water Pulse sphere in Gyagara's direction.

"Gyagara!" Diane called back. "Ice Fang! Freeze that water into ice!"

"Doooosss!" Gyagara's fangs became coated in ice as she caught the Water Pulse in her mouth, freezing the sphere solid.

Hue's point bar began to decline ever so slightly.

"Now!" Diane called out, "Hyper Beam!"

"Gyaradoooos!" Gyagara shattered the ball of ice in her mouth with a large beam of pure energy that coninued to travel directy towards Douglas.

 _I can't let that hit Douglas_! Hue thought to himself. _This battle will be over the second I bring my guard down_!

"Douglas, Protect!" Hue yelled in retaliation.

"Warrr!" Douglas protected himself in a green spherical forcefeild as the Hyper Beam passed him by.

Diane's points began to lower again.

"Phew…" Hue said as Douglas's shield disappeared. "But we aren't out of the woods yet."

"Tortle…" Douglas nodded.

Hue wished he could go on the offensive against Diane but…

"Gyagara, use Ice Fang!" She called out.

"Douglas!" Hue retalieated quickly. "Use Rapid Spin, don't let that Gyarados get a grip on you!"

"Doo-ooos!" Gyagara recoiled back from the rapidly spinning shell of Douglas that she had mistakenly tried to bite with her Ice Fang.

Diane's point bar lowered once more.

"Keep up the spinning Douglas!" Hue encouraged.

"Wartortle!" Douglas quickly stuck out his arm from his still spinning shell to give what looked like a thumb's up.

"Now, let's see if we can't show off one of the things we practiced!" Hue adjusted his glasses before pointing.

"Let's try our Aqua Fan, use Aqua Tail!"

"Torrrrrrr!" Douglas stuck his tail out of his shell, and it began to liquify.

"Gyagara, catch it with Crunch!" Diane yelled.

Hue grinned.

"Didi, I'm surprised." He said. "I totally thought you would have learned your lesson from just a minute ago!"

"Huh?" Diane asked, before she realized what was going to happen.

"Dos!" Gyagara lunged for Douglas's liquified Aqua Tail….and quckly again recoiled in light pain due to its rapid spinning.

"Gyarados!" she hissed as she slithered away a bit from Douglas.

Diane's point bar began to decline once more.

"Fine by us, then!" Diane stated aloud. "We'll just take you out with Hyper Beam!"

"Douglas!" Hue yelled "Quickly, Protect!"

"Wartortle!" Douglas quickly stopped spinning and protected himself just in time for the Hyper Beam.

"Bzzzzzt!" a buzzer sounded.

"Diane's point bar has dropped to zero!" The announcer announced as Hue's face along with a picture of Douglas took over the monitor. "Which means Hue and his Wartortle are the winners!"

Hue and Douglas both gave incredible sigh of relief before running up to each other and giving each other a high five.

"We did it, Douglas!" Hue said, excited. "We're one step closer to our second ribbon!"  
"Wartortle!" Douglas agreed.

"Great battle, Huey!" Diane held out her hand for Hue to shake. "I guess powerful moves aren't the way to go when it comes to contests huh?"  
"Well…" Hue admitted as he shook Diane's hand. "My strategy did revolve around avoiding all of your attacks."

"And whatever that Aqua Fan thing was…" Diane noted.

"Oh that…" Hue grinned. "It's one of the _three secret techniques_ Douglas and I have been working on ever since Fuchsia's contest."

"What are the other two?"

"You'll probably see them later."

*Later*

Aura and Karen had both won their respective first round matches against those coordinators whose name's Hue couldn't even remember, with Kodu, Aura's Golduck, and a pokemon of Karen's that Hue didn't quite recognize. It was a Hypno.

He held Dean up to see what he could find out about Hypno.

"[Hypno]." Dean informed him. "The [Hypnosis] Pokemon."

"Of course it is…" Hue rolled his eyes. "But what about it?"

"It carries a pendulum like device and performs hypnotic attacks." Dean stated in a robotic voice.

"You don't say…" Hue felt like chucking his pokedex at the wall for stating something so obvious.

"Alright!" The announcer exclaimed. "It's time for our last match of the first round! After this we'll determine the semifinals matches and move straight into them, and then we'll take a short intermission before the finals!"

"Huey!" Aura jump hugged Hue from behind as she entered the waiting room, fresh from the third match. "Let's make it to the finals together okay?"

"That would be ideal." Hue agreed, with what Diane had told him still in the front of his mind.

Karen looked on in silence at the monitor.

Aura hadn't seen it, but Hue had.

The conversation that Davon and Karen had with each other just before Aura's match started.

It was like something out of a fairytale. Davon was down on one knee, as though he was proposing, and asking Karen to be his valentine…

She had responded with what Hue was sure was meant to be an impossible task.

"If you can win the contest, by lowering your opponent's points all the way to zero before the time runs out, I'll be your valentine."

Davon had then gotten up, given Karen a bow, and promised that he would make it happen.

As Hue relayed all this to Aura, her eyes went wide and began to sparkle.

"That's adorable!" She hummed. "Huey, we should throw our matches to help him out!"

Hue stared at Aura. "I know you're messing with me. Please don't joke about throwing a match in an important contest."

"Why must you always ruin my attempts to mess with you?" Aura huffed.

"This time it's a bit different." Hue hinted. "There's more than one reason I want to win this contest."

"Look at that!" Karen finally said, pointing at the monitor.

Twilight and Davon were engaged in a very close quarters battle between her Charmeleon, and his…

"Is he copying me on purpose?" Hue asked, getting a little more angry than he knew he should. "The hell is _he_ doing with a Wartortle up there?"  
"I doubt he intended to _copy_ you…" Aura said. "After all, you sign up your planned pokemon right at the start of the contest."

Hue gestured to his naval attire.

"We're dressed exactly the same, we're using the same pokemon. How is he _not_ copying me?"  
"Well…." Aura pointed out. "His uniform is a lighter blue than yours…"

"Now Wartortle!" Davon called. "Water Pulse!"

Hue didn't know what was going on, but the amount of steam that Water Pulse created was mystifying.

"Bzzzzt." The buzzer sounded.

"Twilight's points have dropped to zero!" The announcer said. "Which means Davon and his Wartortle are the winners!"

"With our semifinalists decided…" The announcer said.

"Let's see who is facing who in the semifinals!"

Aura VS Davon

Hue VS Karen

"Oh wow!" Aura's eyes lit up again. "Huey, we actually _can_ make it to the finals this way!"

"Let's aim for it then." Hue smiled.

Aura gave Hue an expectant look.

"What is it?" Hue asked. "You look like you want something."

"I was just wondering if you-" Aura began.

"Aura!" A stage manager called for her. "You need to get out on stage! You're up first!"

"I…" Aura bit her nail and looked away. "I guess it doesn't really matter. I'll tell you after the battle."

AURA VS DAVON

"It looks like this match is going to be Golduck VS Wartortle!" The announcer exclaimed, excitedly.

"5!"

The monitor began to count down.

"4!"

"3!" The audience joined in.

"2!"

"1!"

"Battle, Start!" Both Aura and Davon yelled. "Water Pulse!" Both of them shouted.

"Goolllduck!" Kodu screeched as she shot a ball of water towards Davon's Wartortle.

"Torrrr!" Davon's Wartortle shot a ball of water of the same size towards Kodu.

The two Water Pulses collided and exploded, causing a bunch of rain to come dripping down.

Both trainer's points began to decline.

"Now Kodu!" Aura called.

"Zen Headbutt!"

"Duck!" The small red jewel on Kodu's forehead began to glow as she ran headfirst towards the Wartortle.

"Wartortle!" Davon brushed his gelled hair back before pointing.

"Counter it with an Aqua Tail!"

"War!" His Wartortle's tail began to liquify and collided with Kodu's head.

The two pokemon struggled to break through each other's attacks, until…

"Now, Wartortle!" Davon exclaimed. "Close range Water Pulse!"

"Torlte!" Davon's Wartortle shouted as it sent another Water Pulse directly into Kodu's face, causing Aura's points to drop further.

Davon's Wartortle landed near its trainer's feet.

"Kodu!" Aura called out. "Are you okay?"

"Duck." Kodu nodded.

"Good…" Aura replied with a grin. "Then let's get in an Aqua Jet!"

"Golduck!" Kodu exclaimed as she, while surrounded by water, rammed into Davon's Wartortle.

"Tortle!" The Wartortle staggered backwards as Davon's points began to drop.

"Wartortle!" Davon called out. "Use Aqua Tail once more!"

"Warrrrr!"

The Wartortle shouted as its tail began to liquify and it lunged for Kodu.

"Kodu!" Aura retaliated.

"Stop that Wartortle in its tracks with a Disable!"

"Gol…" Kodu said as her eyes flashed a bright white light, and Davon's Wartortles tail returned to its normal form, and Davon's points decreased again.

"And Zen Headbutt!" Aura called out.

"Duck!" Kodu exclaimed as she rammed her head towards Davon's Wartortle.

"Wartortle!" Davon retaliated. "You know what to do! Rapid Spin!"

"War!" Davon's Wartortle quickly spun around and avoided Kodu's Zen Headbutt, causing Aura's points to fall even further.

"Kodu, while he's dodging!" Aura called out. "Fire a Water Pulse!"

"Duck!" Kodu shot a Water Pulse at the Wartortle.

"I'm truly sorry, Miss Jones…" Davon said. "But I simply cannot allow you to proceed."

He pointed his finger outwards as he spoke.

"Wartortle! Protect!"

"Tortle!" Davon's Wartortle protected itself in a green forcefield, causing the Water Pulse to once again explode all over the place.

Aura's points dropped even further.

"Kodu!" Aura called out. "Quickly, use Aqua Jet before he regains his footing!"

"Golduck!" Kodu began to Aqua Jet towards Davon's Wartortle at a tremendous pace.

"Now Wartortle..." Davon said, calming down. "Let's end this with a Rapid Spin…"

"Tortle!" The Wartortle agreed as it began to spin rapidly in its shell.

As Kodu's Aqua Jet touched the Wartortle's rapidly moving shell, Kodu was sent back and water splashed around everywhere.

"Kodu!" Aura called out.

"Duck…" Kodu called back.

"Use-"

"Bzzzzzzz!"

"It looks like Aura's points have gone all the way down to zero!" The announcer exclaimed. "Which means Davon and his Wartortle are the winners! They move on to the final round of the Wallace Cup!"

"Aura…" Hue said as a depressed Aura walked by him while he was waiting to head out on stage. "There was something you wanted to say to me?"

"Forget it." Aura sighed. "I already lost, so I don't want to get any more depressed."

"Aura wait…" Hue said, stopping Aura from walking away.

"Hue, your match is going to start soon…"

"And I'll win it." Hue said with a determined look in his eye.

"I'm going to win the Wallace Cup afterwards too. And then…"

Hue felt himself blushing as he said it.

"And then we can go have that dinner with Wallace and Misty...on one condition."

He held out a hand.

"You...you'll be my Valentine won't you?"

"I-" Aura seemed legitimately flustered. "I mean...Are you-?" She didn't seem to know whether Hue was being serious or not.

"I understand…" Hue sighed. "I'll ask again after I win this thing, then you'll know I'm not joking."

Hue quickly revised his statement just the slightest bit. "B-but just so we're clear, this is only because it's Valentine's day and we get along alright? D-don't start getting thoughts in your head!"

Aura gave a nod, still trying to figure out whether Hue was being truthful or not.

"Hue, you're up!" A stage manager called for Hue.

HUE VS KAREN

"5!"

"4!"

"3!" The audience always seemed to join in at around here.

"2!"

"1!"

"Battle, Start!" Both Karen and Hue shouted.

Hue had seen Karen's Hypno on the monitor, and had already used Dean to scan it.

"You know what to do, right Douglas?" He asked.

"Tortle!" Douglas nodded.

 _If Hypno uses hypnotic attacks...then we just need to avoid looking at its pendulum!_

"Hypno!" Karen called out. "Use Psyshock!"

"Oh not _that_ move again!" Hue called out in exasperation, still remembering his full battle with Ethel.

"Douglas!" Hue called out. "Protect!"

"War!" Douglas brought up a forcefield and protected himself from the impending balls of psychic energy, which all exploded upon impact with the Protect shield.

Karen's points began to drop a small ammount.

"Now Douglas!" Hue called out. "Use Water Pulse!"

"Wartortle!" Douglas shot out a ball of water towards the Hypno.

"Hypno!" Karen called out. "Send that Water Pulse back to him with a boost from your Psybeam!"

"Hypno!" The Hypno said as a Psybeam erupted from its pendulum, knocking the Water Pulse back towards Hue, lowering Hue's point bar a small amount.

"Heh." Hue grinned.

"Thank you very much, Miss Walls."

"Please don't talk like that fop…" Karen pleaded.

"You've done _exactly_ what I wanted you to do!" Hue continued. "Now, Douglas! Send that Water Pulse back _again_ with another Water Pulse!"

"What?" Karen exclaimed as Douglas shot out another ball of water that collided with the first one, quickly sending it back to Hypno, while the second Ball of Water came on its way back to Douglas.

"Now, time for secret technique number two!" Hue revealed. "Aqua Baseball! Douglas, use Aqua Tail on the Water Pulse and send it Hypno's way as well!"

"Warrr!" Douglas's tail liquified as it smashed the incoming Water Pulse towards Karen's Hypno.

Karen's points began to drop, while Hue regained some of his.

"Hypno!" Karen called out as Hypno was hit with two Water Pulses.

"Hyp-...no…" Karen's Hypno was struggling to even move after those attacks.

"Now Douglas!" Hue called in, seeing his opportunity.

"Use our Aqua Fan combo!"  
"Tooooooorrrr!" Douglas exclaimed as he began to Rapid Spin while he stuck an Aqua Tail out of his shell.

"Hypno!" Karen called out. "Use Psyshock to stop him from moving!"

"Hypno!" The Hypno sent balls of psychic energy towards Douglas.

They exploded onto his shell and stopped him in his tracks, causing Hue's points to deplete and Douglas to emerge from his shell.

"Now Hypno!" Karen called out. "Let's use Hypnosi-"

"Douglas!" Hue yelled. "While you're on the ground shoot a Water Pulse at Hypno's feet! Don't look up at the pendulum!"

"Tortle!" Douglas shot a Water Pulse at Hypno's feet.

"Hypnoooo!" The Hypno stumbled and fell onto its buttocks.

Karen's points began to decrease.

"Hypno!" Karen called out.

"Now!" Hue yelled. "While it's down! Use Aqua Tail!"

"Wartortle!" Douglas yelled as he brought his liquified tail down on Hypno.

"Bzzzzzt."

"Hypno is unable to battle!" The announcer declared. "Victory goes to Wartortle, which means Hue and his Wartortle are the winners! They will face off against Davon in the final round of the Wallace Cup! A Wartortle against Wartortle match!"

*Later that day*

Hue now understood how Ethel must have felt during the Celadon Contest.

All these people were running up to him while he was just trying to find his way to a bathroom to relieve himself before the final battle against Davon started.

"It's going to be a Wartortle VS Wartortle battle." Hue told Douglas once they had some alone time. "And from what we saw during Aura's battle…"

"Wartortle…" Douglas nodded.

"Yeah…" Hue agreed. "Davon's Wartortle knows the exact same moves you do…"

"War…" Douglas nodded again.

"It's all going to come down to who wants it more…" Davon surprised Hue as he and his Wartortle approached.

"Congratulations, Sir Hue Swanson." He said. "I've been looking forward to this day….The day I get to battle you again."

"I'm not going to lose this time." Hue said, with a serious face.

"Then you better put up one hell of a fight." Davon said, his normally cheerful personality replaced with an air of confidence that can only come from someone driven by a goal they wer close to reaching.

"Because while you say you aren't going to lose…" He brushed his gelled hair back. " _I_ say that I'm going to _win_! It was written in my destiny at the moment of my birth, fifteen years ago today. No Le Rouge will ever fail in their endeavors on their name day."

"I'd say Happy Birthday…" Hue responded seriously. "But I'll wait until after I win to congratulate you on becoming a year older. It will be your consolation prize."

"Ha!" Davon let out a single laugh. "Well said, Sir Hue Swanson. Let's get out there then…

and give that lovely audience the show they came for!"

HUE VS DAVON

"This match is going to be a Wartortle VS Wartortle match!" The announcer exclaimed as the audience cheered. "The winner will receive the Aqua Ribbon, along with the ability to take one guest of their choice to a Seafoam Islands dinner on the beach with both Wallace and Misty!"

"Wooooo!" The audience cheered.

"5!"

This time the audience was counting down with the timer from the get-go.

"4!"

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

"Battle, Start!" The announcer called out.

"Douglas!" Hue called.

"Wartortle!" Davon called.

"Water Pulse!" The both said at the same time.

The Water Pulses hit each other in midair and exploded, causing water to fall over the place.

Both Hue's and Davon's point bars went down.

"Wartortle!" Davon called. "Use Rapid Spin!"

"Warrr!" Wartortle began to rapidly spin towards Douglas.

"Douglas!" Hue retaliated. "Aqua Tail him away!"  
"Tortle!" Douglas's tail liquified and he smacked the Rapid Spinning Wartortle away with an Aqua Tail, but not before…

"Now Wartortle!" Davon called out. "Close range Water Pulse!"

With both Wartortle's soaked in water and knocked back to their respective trainers, both Hue and Davon lost points even further.

"Aqua Tail, Wartortle!" Davon yelled.

"Use Protect!" Hue called out.

"Tortle!" The Wartortle hit Douglas's Protect shield and Davon lost some more points.

"Wartortle!" Davon called out, "Now use Water Pulse!"

"Warrr!" Wartortle shot a Water Pulse towards Douglas.

"Douglas!" Hue yelled. "Smack that Water Pulse away with an Aqua Tail!"

"Torrr…" Douglas's tail began to liquify and he jumped up to hit the Water Pulse away.

"Now Wartortle!" Davon took advantage of the situation.

"Rapid Spin right into his chest!"  
"Warrrrrr!"

Just as soon as Douglas had swiped the Water Pulse away, creating a small water fireworks display, causing Davon to lose some points, Davon's Wartortle rammed into Douglas with a Rapid Spin, knocking Douglas back to Hue's feet, and causing Hue's points to deplete as well.

"Water Pulse, Douglas!" Hue yelled.

"Wartortle!" Davon retaliated. "Protect, now!"  
Wartortle protected itself against Douglas's Water Pulse attack, causing more waterworks and Hue's point bar depleted again.

"It's a neck and neck match so far!" The announcer exclaimed feverishly as she rallied the crowd up.

"With three minutes left on the timer, it's still anyone's guess who will win!"

"My money's on the Le Rouge boy…" Misty said.

"I think Swanson shows promise…" Andle offered.

They both turned to Wallace.

"Hmmm…" Wallace said, staring intently at the warring Wartortles.

"Aqua Tail!" Both Hue and Davon shouted at the same time.

Douglas and the other Wartortle's Aqua Tails collided with each other and both pokemon jumped back to their respective trainers as both their point bars depleted.

"Sir Hue Swanson…" Davon brushed his hand through his gelled hair. "You've been a worthy opponent so far. I'm glad for the good match."

"Right back at you." Hue said.

Hue looked at Douglas.

He had wanted to use his third technique, but there was no way it would work against a water type pokemon. The most it would do was cost Hue points right now.

"Tortle…" Douglas almost growled at the other Wartortle.

"Tortle…" Davon's Wartortle returned the favor.

Both pokemon lowered their heads and began to kick up dust on the stage.

"Oh my…" Davon said as both he and Hue held up their pokedexes as both Wartortles…

"Warrrrrrr!"

"Torrrrrrr!"

Launched themselves headfirst into the other one.

"[Skull Bash]." Dean informed Hue. "A [Normal] type move. The user tucks in its head to raise defense, then rams the target."

"-Tle!" both Wartortles collided with each other, quickly pushing each other back to where their trainers were. Again both Hue's and Davon's point bars lowered.

"Douglas!" Hue called out to a panting Douglas. "Can you still go on?"

"Wartortle!" Davon called out to his own Wartortle in similar shape. "What about you?"

"War…." Douglas began to glow in a white light.

"Tor….." Davon's Wartortle began to do the same.

"Tle….." both Wartortles began to grow while enveloped in the light, and changed shape as they did so.

"Amazing!" Wallace's eyes flickered with excitement.

"Wallace has taken the words out of my mouth folks!" The announcer said. "It seems we have a double evolution on our hands here! Of the same pokemon no less! Just what you'd expect from a Wallace Cup Final match!"

"Blaaaaassstoooiiiiseeeee!" Both new Blastoise bellowed at the top of their lungs as the light cleared off of them.

"What began as a Wartortle VS Wartortle match will end as a Blastoise VS Blastoise match folks!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Woooooooooooo!" The audience cheered.

Hue raised Dean up to Douglas, who was now definitely far too big to ride on Hue at all.

"[Blastoise]." Dean stated. "The [Shellfish] Pokemon. The evolved form of Wartortle. Blastoise's strength lies in its power, rather than its speed. Its shell is like armor, and the attacks from the hydro cannons on its back are virtually unstoppable."

"Toise." Douglas gave Hue a grin over his large shoulder.

"And with that…." Davon smiled, as he pointed.

Hue nodded and did the same.

"Blastoise!"

"Douglas!"

"Water Pulse!" They both yelled.

"Blaaaaaaassss!" Both Blastoise shot a gigantic sphere of water from their hydro cannons.

The collision between the two projectiles was so massive that when the whole thing exploded, the water that poured everywhere caused both Blastoise to flinch in pain.

Both Hue's and Davon's point bars went down.

"We only have 5 seconds left on the clock!" The announcer said. "Better make this last attack really count!"

"Skull Bash!" Both Trainers yelled.

4!

The two blastoise tucked their heads in.

3!

They shot themselves at each other…

2!

And collided, causing the points bars to deplete…

1!

Both Blastoise were scuffed and bruised, but still in fighting condition.

"Bzzzzzzzzzzz!" A buzzer sounded.

Hue and Davon both looked at the monitor…

With nearly two thirds of a second left on the clock…

 _Both trainers' point bars had been reduced to zero._

The audience lost it.

"Whaaaaaat?"

"Well…." The announcer was just as dumbfounded.

"This...is a first…."

"Blastoise…" Both Blastoise looked at each other and gave wide and confident grins at each other's bruised.

Wallace quickly hurried onto the stage.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, wonderful pokemon fans both old and young, it appears, for the first time in history, the Wallace Cup has _Two_ Winners! Look at both these trainers and their pokemon, still ready to fight despite their points having been depleted by the other coordinator and their own pokemon! Truly they have graced us with a wonderful final battle. I simply feel it to be an injustice to award only one of them!"

Wallace walked up to both Hue and Davon and held out a box…

Full of Aqua Ribbons.

"Each of you take one!" He said. "You have more than earned it!"

"Woooooooo!" Everyone in the crowd cheered.

"Sir Hue Swanson…" Davon walked up to Hue and held out a hand. "It was an honor."

"The honor was mine." Hue smiled as he shook Davon's hand.

"Now…" Davon looked out into the audience. "Where is Miss Walls…?"

"Wait, wait wait…." Karen said, making herself known. "You didn't fulfil the requirements to-"

"Actually…" Hue decided he would help Davon out. "He followed your instructions exactly. He won the Wallace Cup by depleting his opponent's points to zero before time ran out."

"But…" Karen began.

"You never said…" Hue adjusted his glasses. "That he had to be the _only_ one to win in that manner. And a promise is a promise."

"Hmmm…." Wallace crossed his arms. "We weren't expecting two winners so…"

He turned to Misty. "Misty, what should we do about the prize? We only have enough food for four…."

"I'm not sure…" Misty said, crossing her arms.

"If it would be no trouble…" Davon addressed Wallace. "Perhaps the beach dinner can be between the two winners and their guests?"

"Oh don't you worry one bit!" Andle approached everyone. "As it just so happens...My daughter recently recommended a couple of very skilled Pokemon Chefs, who should be in the area. I'm sure I can go bring them here to help create enough food for everyone...on the condition that my daughter and I can join you all."

Everyone up on the stage thought that was a great idea.

Hue walked to the edge of the stage where Aura was looking on, almost in disbelief.

"So what do you say Aura?" He asked with a smile and a bright red face.

"Care to be my valentine for this dinner?"

Hue would never forget the excitement on Aura's face when she nodded "yes."

Birthday Look!: Davon Le Rouge's Current Team!

Blastoise: Protect, Rapid Spin, Water Pulse, Skull Bash

Poliwrath: Bubblebeam, Doubleslap, Hypnosis, Focus Punch

Machoke: Karate Chop, Seismic Toss, Revenge, Rock Tomb

Nidorina: Poison Fang, Helping Hand, Flatter, Fury Swipes

Tangela: Tickle, Vine Whip, Grassy Terrain, Slam

Vaporeon: Acid Armor, Aurora Beam, Haze, Water Pulse


	52. The Snow of Seafoam(revised)

Chapter 52:

Snow of Seafoam

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Protect, Rapid Spin, Water Pulse, Skull Bash

Espella(Espeon): Morning Sun, Swift, Psybeam, Future Sight

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Fury Cutter

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Bruce(Hitmonlee): Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

"Look at that beautiful sunset…" Andle said as Ethel rested her head on her father's shoulder.

"Mm-hm." She said.

"Tell me Ethel…" Her father looked out at the evening sun on the horizon. "Why are you out here? On this journey? It was my understanding that your mother would be training you to become the gym leader, not... _this_."

"I don't have to become a gym leader right this second do I?" Ethel asked, though she wasn't looking for an answer that she already knew.

"You should know why I'm out here, Father." She said as formally as ever.

Andle sighed.

He almost put his hand around his daughter's shoulder, but instead stood up.

"I suppose I do." He admitted. "Sorry that we couldn't take your fiery redhead friend with us."

"That's fine." Ethel replied as she got up.

"She has something important to do at Cinnabar anyways."

"So…" Andle said, facing inland, without looking at Ethel. "You truly are serious about your claims then…"

"I truly am." Ethel nodded once more.

*Elsewhere, further down the beach*

"It's so pretty isn't it?" Aura asked.

"Y-yeah…" Hue agreed, having a hard time staying warm in the winter's evening air.

Although, as hard of a time he was having staying warm, his stuttering didn't come from chattering teeth.

He was nervous.

One look and it was obvious why.

Aura had, in her typical fashion, dressed up for the dinner event by wearing an elegant dress that looked like something Ethel might have pulled out of her own closet, had the dress not been black in color.

Of course, she was even colder than Hue was, so, again in typical Aura fashion, she cuddled up into Hue's blue jacket.

"Huey…" Aura addressed him. "It's going to be even colder in the Seafoam Islands cavern system."

"I understand." Hue replied, understanding. "I wish there was another way to Cinnabar, but those who have boats have already left. It was nice enough that Andle agreed to chaperone us trainer's through the caves."

"I do prefer going by my last name, Ross, if it's all the same to you, Mr. Swanson." Andle smiled at Hue as he and Ethel appeared behind the two trainers huddled under the same blue jacket.

"You're cold." Ethel observed.

 _How the heck aren't you_? Hue wondered. Ethel was still in her pure white skirt and blouse combination that she usually war, but she wasn't showing any signs of being affected by the cold temperature.

"C-c-cold…" Aura agreed. "I h-hate being cold…"

Hue had almost forgotten about Aura's disdain for the cold. This would not be a pleasant journey for her.

"W-we s-still n-need to get D-Davon and K-Karen…" Hue notified Andle.

"A-Already...a-a-accounted….f-f-for…" Karen said as she and Davon walked up to the group.

"M-may w-we p-please get going, S-sir Ross?" Davon asked, his gelled hair now frozen and glistening from the light reflecting off its newly acquired thin coating of ice.

"Very well." Andle hoisted a traveler's backpack over his shoulders and handed everyone a walking stick. "This way to the cavern entrance. Follow me."

*Inside the Cavern*

It was dark.

"Gyaah!" Aura took a small tumble, but Hue managed to catch her.

"You okay?" He asked.

"Mm." Aura nodded as she began to cling to Hue's shirt under his jacket. "Thank you."

"Watch your step." Andle warned. "It's dark and slippery in here."

"D-Don't you h-have a p-p-pokemon that could l-light up the area?" Karen asked.

"I do…" Andle admitted. "However...it would likely only melt the ice and ruin our chance at a safe passing."

"D-did you just say _chance_ at a safe passing?" Hue asked in disbelief.

"Oh, did I?" Andle smiled a guilty smile and laughed a guilty laugh. "Well, I'm sure we'll be fine."

 _This guy is supposed to be the champion of the Indigo Area?_

"Hue…" Deus's voice stang in Hue's head.

"Gahh!" Hue reached up to grab his temple but instead his hand brushed up Aura's side and squeezed her shoulder.

"Mmnnhh…" She gave off a strangely arousing moan, which given that it was dark in the cave and no one could really see, was easily taken out of context.

"Sir Swanson, You sly dog you." Davon said with confidence from in front of them.

"N-n-n-no…" Aura tried to protest through chattering teeth. "He wasn't doing anything to-"

"Shhh." Ethel shushed from the back.

"You don't want to raise your voice in here."

"Ethel is right." Andle said. "A loud voice in this cavern will only trigger an ice-in.

"Like a cave-in…" Ethel explained. "Except with Ice."

Hue gave a nod. _I guess Ethel gets the more...unique...aspects of her personality from her father._

"Hey Aura…" he whispered. "If you have Purin on you, now would be a good time to use him."

"I…" Aura began. "I don't have him on me right now, I'm sorry."

She began to shiver uncontrollably, and Hue's grip on her tightened.

"Are you okay back there?" Andle asked.

"We're fine." Karen answered as she and Davon were right behind Andle. "But I think Aura might need some hot chocolate or something."

"We'll get her plenty when we get out of here." Davon said as he tried to brush his hand through his gelled hair, but failed due to the afore-mentioned ice coating.

"There is another option." Ethel whispered in her monotone voice.

"Hm?" Hue looked back to where Ethel was supposed to be, behind them.

He thought he could see her silhouette pointing upwards.

Hue looked up.

There was the smallest hole in the cave, letting down what little moonlight could get through.

Moonlight…

Moonlight!

"What about Sirius?" Hue asked Aura, whose mental awareness of what was going on was diminishing at a constant pace.

"S-S-Sirius!" Aura sent out her Umbreon.

"Ummmm…." Sirius hummed as he was sent out and the rings on his body began to glow faintly.

The light he was giving off might not have been much, but it was enough for Hue, and his weird(for lack of a better term) eyes, to see that the icy path everyone was traveling on was in fact very narrow, with a steep cliff face on either side of it.

When Hue looked down, he could just barely make out the snow at the bottom of the large cavern.

"Our goal is to go down there and then come back up on the other side." Andle explained.

"Gyeeehhh…" Davon began to freeze up.

"Wha-" Karen nearly bumped into him. "Move you idiot!"

"Hue…" Deus stang again in his head. "Something very _angry_ is lurking down there."

"H-Huey…" Aura chattered, still half out of it. "D-don't...f-fall…"

"Aura…" Hue whispered. "I think there's something dangerous at the bottom of-"

"Mother of Mew!" Davon exclaimed as he saw the shadow of the monster through Sirius's faint light.

"Is that pokemon what I think it is?"

"Would you shut up already?" Karen yelled at Davon.

"Sh-" Ethel tried to shush the two of them, but she was interrupted by a rumbling of the ground.

"D-d-don't let go…" Aura managed to stutter out.

The entire icy path shook, and the next step Hue and Aura took…

"Waaah!"

Aura was now hanging off of the cliff face. Hue was holding onto her wrist.

"Don't let go!" Aura repeated.

 _I don't intend to, and I think my hand might be frozen to your wrist already anyway._

"Someone help me pull her up!" Hue called towards the front of the line for help, but…

"Hnnngh…" Karen was already busy trying to pull Davon back up to the top of the cliff.

"I can't believe this…" She said.

"Ethel!" Hue called towards where Ethel was supposed to be.

"Down here." He heard Ethel's eerily calm and monotone reply.

 _Uh oh_.

Hue looked down ever so slightly.

Sure enough,

Just as he was grabbing onto Aura's wrist,...

Aura was clutching Ethel in a similar fashion.

"D-don't l-l-let g-g-go!" Aura repeated again.

"Breoonnnn…" Sirius returned himself into his pokeball.

Once again, there didn't seem to be any type of helpful light in the area.

That was when Hue could feel his belly sliding.

"No…" He mumbled to himself as he struggled to pull two healthy women back up to the top of an icy cliff face.

"M-Mr. Ross-" Hue looked over to where Mr. Ross should have been, but didn't see him anymore.

He didn't even see Karen and Davon anymore.

"Karen? Davon? Mr. Ross?"

The ice began to crack.

"Oh no…"

"H-Huey…" Aura said as his hand went numb, and he began to feel a sense of vertigo.

No…

This wasn't vertigo…

He realized it as the wind from below hit him.

He had fallen.

"She said to not let go." Ethel's voice entered Hue's ear.

Hue lifted both of his now very numb hands to realize that he was no longer attached to anyone.

He was in his T-shirt falling to his death in a cave with a temperature of below freezing.

 _No...I can't…_

 _I can't…_

 _Die here!_

Hue didn't understand how…

But he managed to stand right back up after hitting the cavern floor with a thud.

He looked around and…

Was amazed.

The light coming in from the moon was reflecting off of all of the ice everywhere, spreading a thin amount of light throughout the area.

Hue quickly rubbed his hands together and then began to massage his shoulders and forearms.

"C-c-cold…" He said aloud.

 _Where's Aura?_

Hue tried to retrace his steps to where he fell. He wanted to figure out how exactly he might have fallen down here, and if he might still be going in the right direction.

 _Where's Aura?_

He hoped everyone was okay. Karen and Davon seemed to be having the same trouble that He and Aura had been having. Ethel too, since she must have fallen with Aura.

 _Where's Aura?_

Hue staggered around a bit to regain control of his numbed legs.

"Aura!" He managed to call out.

He was able to see his breath, though he had trouble hearing what he was saying. Hopefully it sounded like what he intended it to sound like.

"Aura!" He called again, as he staggered through the strange snowy cave.

He needed to find her.

He needed to make sure she was safe.

"-Y" Hue somehow managed to hear.

"Aura?" He turned around to where he heard the voice coming from.

"-ey!"  
It was clearer now.

 _I need to get over there!_

Hue slowly staggered towards the echoing voice, as another sound became a tad more apparent to him.

The sound of running water.

"Aura! Aura!" Hue continued to call out.

*Splash*

"Huey!" He could clearly hear Aura scream between the-

*Splash*

-between the splashes.

"Help!"

 _I need to get over there!_

Hue ignored the freezing numbness of his body, as well as the burning pain in his skull.

Only one thing mattered at that moment.

Only one thing.

Once Hue realized he was in water he broke out into a faster swim than he had anticipated he'd be capable of.

"Oof-" He could hear Aura 'oof' as he caught her and quickly brought her back to solid ground.

"H-Huey?" Aura asked, seemingly unsure if it was really Hue there.

 _Oh thank goodness…_

"Yeah." Hue nodded as he took his now wet and hazardous jacket from Aura, and instead sent out-

"Espella…" He said as he sent out his Espeon.

"Use Morning Sun on Aura." Hue pleaded. "She needs the warmth."

 _Oh thank goodness, she's okay…_

"Essspeon." Espella gave a strange purr as she slowly shone a Morning Sun down on Aura.

"Hue…" Deus's voice didn't seem to create any new pain in Hue's head at the moment.

That wasn't a good sign.

It meant that Hue was going completely numb.

"Hue, that thing is coming." Deus said.

"Hunh…" Aura pointed up towards the cave ceiling, through Espella's Morning Sun attack.

"It's snowing while it's sunny out…"

She then slowly drifted out of consciousness.

"Aura!" Hue gasped.

He turned to Espella.

"You need to keep her as warm as you possibly can with that Morning Sun! Curl up next to her if you have to!"

Hue looked up to where Aura had pointed, and he saw what she had meant,

You wouldn't have expected it to be angry just by looking at its elegant flying pattern, which seemed to cause snow to fall with every foot it flew.

However…

"Gah!"

Hue, most likely aided by whatever speed enhancement Deus had given him back in Saffron again, tucked and rolled away just in time to narrowly avoid an Ice Beam aimed directly at him.

"Peeooonnn…" Espella worriedly looked up at it.

Though he was still numb, and his head was still in immense pain, Hue brought up his pokedex.

 _Is this the same one as-?_

"[Articuno]." Dean stated. "The [Freeze] Pokemon. This legendary pokemon, with wings like thin sheets of ice, is believed to possess the ability to freeze water vapor and create snow. Articuno lives deep within mountain regions and is said to be able to fly by gracefully waving its tail."

"So the wings are just an accessory?" Hue wondered aloud. "Dean...please...there has to be something in here. Is there anything else I should know about Articuno?"

"Articuno is said to appear to doomed people who are lost in icy mountains."

 _Doomed?_

 _Doomed?_

Hue looked back at Aura, who was thankfully still breathing. Espella was watching over her as protectively as she could.

"Gyaaooooohhhh!" The Articuno shrieked as it launched another Ice Beam, this time at Aura and Espella

No…

It couldn't end like this…

There was no way that this Articuno, whether it was the same one from Celadon or not, was going to lay a single finger on someone who was already down!

"Gahhh!" Hue quickly positioned himself between the attack and its target, and braced for a terrible impact.

He did not brace enough.

The intense amount of pain and cold he felt as he took the attack from the legendary pokemon was far worse than any headache or broken bone he'd ever endured.

 _But still… Better me than her…_

As Hue's back slammed against the cavern wall, he looked on in horror as Articuno prepared another Ice Beam.

"N-no!" He struggled to exclaim.

His entire body was writhing in agony, though his arms were completely numb.

"Espella!" He choked through the freezing air.

"Es?" Espella turned, and noticed the Ice Beam.

"Esss-!" She shot a Psybeam up to counter it,

And was overpowered completely.

Her Psybeam practically turned into the snow that Aticuno created by simply moving around, and the Ice Beam shot her into the same cavern wall as Hue.

"Espeon…" Espella gasped, as she began to use a Morning Sun to try and heal her wounds, but collapsed due to exhaustion.

"Espella!" Hue choked out again.

"Essssspeonnnn…" Espella moaned before she too lost consciousness.

 _Dammit!_

"Gyaooooh!" While Hue and Espella lay against the wall, unable to move, the Freeze pokemon swooped down as though it was catching some sort of pray, and grabbed Aura in its talons before flying back up and beginning to circle around the cavern.

"Gyaooooh!" It screeched again as it tossed Aura back down towards the icy cavern floor..

"Aura!" Hue called out as he managed to use all of his remaining strength to drop a pokeball from his belt.

"Blaaaas." Douglas announced in a deep voice.

"Douglas, use Water Pulse on me, and propel yourself up there!" Hue's eyes darted to where Aura was falling.

"Don't let her hit the ground!"

"Toise…" Douglas gave a nod as he readied his cannons.

The Water Pulse she shot almost instantly froze Hue's arms to the cavern wall with how cold the air was, but Douglas succeeded in propelling himself to catch Aura.

Hue gave the slightest sigh of relief.

"Gyaoooioh!" Articuno quickly shot a strange type of ice from it's body towards Douglas.

"P-protect!" Hue managed to call out, just in time for Douglas to create the forcefield, for all the good it did.

Even though the attack didn't have any effect on him thanks to the Protect forcefield, Douglas and Aura were shoved back towards Hue with with tremendous power, shattering the ice that had frozen him to the wall.

"Gah…" He gasped for air as he fell to the cavern floor.

He looked up at Douglas, who was holding Aura in his arms the same way that Arthur had carried Ethel back in Fuchsia City.

"Good job, Douglas." Hue wheezed out.

"Hue…" Deus said inside his head, creating the only pain Hue could feel anymore considering how numb his body had gone. "I can...I can keep you well enough to give commands and move around but…"

"It's going to hurt right?" Hue coughed. "Whatever. Go for it."

Deus did not give a verbal response. He only obeyed, just like a pokemon being told to use a move.

Suddenly Hue's body felt as though it was burning up.

"Agggggghhhh…" He cried out in agony.

"Blastoise?" Douglas gently set Aura down next to Espella and rushed up to Hue as fast as his stubby Blastoise legs could carry him.

"No, stay back!" Hue yelled.

"Gyaooooooh!"

Articuno shot the same strange ice from earlier at Douglas.

Hue could feel his eyes get smaller as he saw his starter pokemon fall to the ground without so much as a whimper, frozen in a block of ice.

The air become even colder in the cavern.

"Douglas!" He yelled.

He looked back up at Articuno. "Dean, what was that?"

"[Freeze-Dry]." Dean stated. "An [Ice] Type move. The user rapidly cools the target, which may also leave the target frozen. It is super effective on Water types."

Hue fell to his knees as he lay over the frozen and unconscious Douglas.

"Gyaoooooh!" Articuno elegantly began to fly around the cavern again, covering everyone with snow.

With a trembling hand, Hue reached out to touch the ice that Douglas was frozen in.

Just as he had suspected, the Ice was far too hard and cold to melt simply with body heat.

"Gordon!" Hue sent out his Nidorino as he stood up.

"Use Fury Attack! Break that ice!"

"Rino…" Gordon shivered due to the cold and began to ram into the ice that was keeping Douglas prisoner.

Hue took advantage of the time to quickly returned Espella into her pokeball.

That's when he noticed Aura, half covered in the snow from Articuno's flying.

He needed something that would keep her safe no matter what.

Something that not even an attack from Articuno could break through...

Knowing it was a long shot, he sent out another one of his pokemon. "Cooper!"

"Cloyster?" Cooper asked.

"Cooper, I need you to use Withdraw and keep Aura inside your shell."

"Cloys?" Cooper gave a surprised expression.

"She's a flexible girl." Hue reasoned. "It'll be a tight squeeze, but she'll fit in there. Please Cooper. And under no circumstances do you open the shell until I say so, do you understand?"

"Cl-Cloyster…" Cooper nodded and did as he was told.

 _Please Arceus, let that keep her safe_.

"Gyaoooooooh!"

Articuno flapped its wings tremendously, not only creating a terrible storm of snow, but causing Cooper, Gordon, the frozen Douglas, and even Hue to rise up in the air as well.

Hue had millions of thoughts racing around his head right now, but all he managed to say was "Oh... no…."

"Gyaoooh!" With a large flap of its wings Articuno caused everything in the air to collide with one another.

"Ow, argh, off ugghh…" Hue said as he repeatedly came into painful contact with his two spikiest pokemon, before being dropped back down to the ground.

Douglas's ice shattered, revealing the unconscious Blastoise.

Similarly, Gordon had lost his consciousness as well.

Hue couldn't tell with Cooper, but he doubted that his Cloyster managed to stay conscious through whatever that attack was.

"Hue…." Deus said in his head as Hue struggled to get back on his feet. "We aren't getting anywhere like this. I misjudged the situation. Even with my help, you can't handler a pokemon this powerful."

 _No. I can't let this be the end of it..._

"N-no…" Hue said as he regained his footing. "We...can't...give up...yet."

 _After all the reason I became a Trainer…_

"I need to be strong enough to…"

 _Was to become strong so that I could…_

"Protect the people I care about!" Hue yelled as he threw Arthur's pokeball out.

"Gallade!" Arthur began to rapidly run up the wall towards Articuno.

"Night Slash!" Hue called out.

"G'laaade!" Arthur jumped off the cavern wall and collided with Articuno midflight, clearly landing a Night Slash on the Freeze Pokemon.

"G'lade." Arthur landed on one knee near Hue, and skidded across the ice.

"Good job Arthur!" Hue called out.

He turned back to face Articuno.

"Now use-"

But he stopped short.

"Gyaooooh!" The pokemon was glowing, and the single small scrape that Arthur had left on its feathers was quickly healing.

 _No!_

"E-even with…" Hue began as Arthur stood up and slowly moved back to Hue's side so that he wouldn't slip on the ice.

"Even though Arthur is strong enough to deal damage to Articuno…" Deus said in Hue's head. "The damage itself is minimal, and it appears as though our Freeze Pokemon adversary has the ability to use Recover. A luxury that Arthur doesn't have."

"What's more…" Hue added. "Is that Arthur doesn't have the ability to deal any super effective damage to Articuno…"

 _But…_

"But…" He looked over where he could see some strands of Aura's hair coming out of Cooper's shell.

 _I need to protect them…_

"We can't give in!" Hue shouted as Arthur gave a quick nod and began to run towards Articuno again. "Use Psycho Cut!"

"Gallade!" Arthur shot a Psycho Cut towards Articuno, which the Freeze pokemon effortlessly avoided, as even more snow fell to the cavern floor.

"Gyaaoooooh!" The pokemon shot and Ice Beam towards Arthur.

"Arthur, use Swords Dance to dodge it!"

"Gallade!" Arthur narrowly dodged the Ice Beam. Instead of Arthur, the attack launched into one of the frozen splash nests of water, destroying it completely.

"Be careful!" Deus warned Hue. "If Arthur gets hit by even one of those things he won't be able to protect anyone!"

 _Won't be able to protect..._

Hue's widened as he had his epiphany.

 _No, this...this isn't right…_

Arthur narrowly avoided another Ice Beam as another pillar was destroyed.

The ice ceiling of the cavern was cracking.

 _This isn't how to protect the people I care about._

Arthur once again managed to dodge an Ice Beam, though this time the destruction caused some stalactites, or perhaps simply icicles in this case, to fall from the cavern ceiling, as the ice cracked further.

Hue could feel a rumble.

 _We can't just throw ourselves at death. That's not the strong thing to do. The strong thing to do...is know when to give up…_

"Arthur!" Hue yelled. "Change of plans! Grab Cooper and Aura, we're going to find a way to get them out of here!"

"G'lade." Arthur nodded with a smile as he quickly grabbed Cooper and Aura.

Hue returned cooper so that Arthur could hold Aura more easily.

"Now…" Hue looked around for an exit.

"Dammit, this would be so much easier if I knew where to-"

"Gyaaoooooooh!" Articuno shrieked as it shot another Ice Beam.

"Hue!" Deus called. "Brace yourself!"

Hue braced himself, but Arthur handed Aura to Hue and jumped in front of him.

"No!" Hue called. "Arthur, what are you doing? We need you!"

"G'lade." Arthur grinned.

He was hit by the ice beam and propelled into the cavern wall with such power that the entire cavern started to collapse on itself.

The ice ceiling broke open completely, and the Freeze pokemon flew out through the small window of the early morning sky.

"Gyaooooh!"

Apparently even a pissed of legendary pokemon can still recognize the dangers of a cave in.

"Arthur!" Hue called as he ran towards his Gallade, carrying Aura in arms as he did so.

"G'lade." Arthur coughed as he pointed towards a small tunnel, before pushing the return button on his pokeball, and returning himself.

"Hue…" Deus warned. "We can't stay here much longer. The cavern is collapsing in on itself. I've kept your ability to move intact, and I've been able to heal you before,"

 _Right, my broken arm that recovered far faster than it should have_.

"But even I cannot bring you back if you get crushed to death."

 _Noted._

Hue hurried towards the small tunnel that Arthur had found.

Hopefully it was a way out.

As he ran, another rumble shook the cavern, and the ice that Hue was standing on cracked beneath the combined weight of himself and the girl he was carrying.

"Ahhh!"

Hue threw his last pokemon out.

"Bruce! Use your legs to help us not fall to our doom!"

"Hitmonlee…" Bruce extended his legs so that they wrapped around Hue and Aura, however…

"Mon…." Bruce was now in a similar predicament, using almost all of his energy to grab onto the cliff face to prevent himself from falling at least twenty feet into even deeper water, even further underground.

"Help!" Hue yelled, for all the good it would do.

It would take a miracle for-

"Glaceon?" A Glaceon appeared atop the cliff face.

"Voir?" A Gardevoir appeared next to it.

Hue's eyes widened.

 _Please let them be what I think they are_.

"I'm sorry, Hue," Deus said with agony. "I can't keep this up any longer. You're going to feel a lot of pain, and will likely lose consciousness. I recommend screaming something that you believe will get you rescued."

 _It's a long shot but…_

As Hue felt Deus's grip on him diminish, an even more intense pain than Articuno's Ice Beam enveloped his entire being.

"Ethel!" Hue yelled as loud as he could.

As he rather quickly drifted out of consciousness, He could feel himself, Aura, and Bruce, all being pulled upwards.

He felt himself being embraced, likely by the Gardevoir given how easily he was being held.

Before he drifted out of consciousness, he did hear one line in monotone.

"You'll be safe for now."

*Outside*

The sun was already starting to rise.

"Huey!" Aura jumped on Hue the minute he opened his eyes.

They were both in a tent, presumably still on Seafoam Islands.

Aura began to snuggle up to Hue in a way that made Hue angry, happy, and incredibly embarrassed all at the same time.

"What's with the snuggling?" Hue asked.

Aura gave a playful laugh.

"I'd say you deserve some TLC after what you must have gone through! You fought Articuno for me!"

 _Well, 'fought' probably isn't the best word for it. It was more like, 'got massacred by'._

"We're partners aren't we?" Hue asked with a grin.

Aura's grip on him tightened.

"Mmmmm!" She was clearly very happy that he was back among the living, but-

"Aura...you're...crushing me…"

"Aura." Ethel stated as she entered the tent. "The fire is ready. You should warm yourself."

"I want to stay with Huey instead." Aura replied. "He just woke up and-"

"And he'll be out there with you soon enough." Ethel's monotone did not once change. "Go and warm yourself back up."

Aura gave a "Hmph." As she pushed herself off of Hue.

"Ethel," Hue said as Aura quickly rushed towards the warmth of Ethel's campfire. "I'm thankful for your rescue and all but you shouldn't have done that."

"You were the one that asked for me to rescue you." Ethel replied.

Suddenly Hue got the feeling that this was a tense subject for Ethel, though he had no clue why. Still though, he felt he needed to warn her.

"And again, I'm grateful, but the Articuno in there...It belonged to-"

"I know who it belonged to!" Ethel interrupted, raising her voice a bit, and taking a more forceful tone..

She looked down and away.

"I'm sorry." She said. "It's just that…"

She sighed.

"Nevermind." She shook her head.

"Oh…" Hue wasn't sure why Ethel was getting so worked up about this. "Alright then."

He was about to retire to sleep when Ethel finally said something.

"When we get to Cinnabar, we should all rendezvous with Diane as soon as possible." She said in her monotone voice.

"She wanted me to tell you that."

"Anything else?" Hue asked.

Ethel nodded. "Yes. She did say something else to you, though I quite honestly don't agree with her."

Hue gave Ethel a look.

 _Stop stalling and just tell me already_.

Ethel took a deep breath.

"She said: 'It's high time you remembered.'"


	53. Water Warfare

Chapter 53:

Water Warfare

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Protect, Rapid Spin, Water Pulse, Skull Bash

Espella(Espeon): Morning Sun, Swift, Psybeam, Future Sight

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Fury Cutter

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Bruce(Hitmonlee): Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

Hue gave a long yawn as he stretched himself awake.

The sun was shining brightly in the sky.

 _High noon maybe?_

He left the tent to see Aura hurriedly return a pokemon to her Safari Ball.

Whatever it was that she didn't want Hue to see, it was a pokemon that clearly felt at home in water.

"Mornin'!" She said cheerfully, searching for a subject to talk about other that what Hue had just witnessed. "Is your head feeling okay?"

"Y-yeah, I guess so…" Hue put his hand to his head. "I mean, I can still feel it sting from time to time, but for the most part I think the pain's gone away again."

"Good." Aura gave a nod. "Because we're gonna need you at maximum mental capacity today."

"Bone!" Karakara lifted her bone up in the air as Aura picked the shiny Cubone up.

"That's right!" Aura held Karakara up towards the sky as she beckoned Hue with a shake of her head for him to follow.

"Today, Karakara, we set sail aboard the SS Monotone!"

She spun around as she gave a little 'ta-da' pose in front of Ethel's Lapras, who was waiting on the sand patiently near Ethel.

"Praaaa!" The Lapras gleefully smiled at Hue and Aura.

"Oh good." Ethel said in the same monotone voice Hue had become so familiar with that it barely even bothered him anymore. "You finally woke up."

"You're really going to let us ride with you on Lapras to Cinnabar?" Hue asked Ethel

"Lapras enjoy giving rides to humans." Ethel said as she pet her Lapras on the neck.

"Prrrrrr." Lapras purred.

"They are a very kind and gentle pokemon." She continued.

 _Yet still can learn moves like Sheer Cold…_ Hue thought, remembering his Full Battle with Ethel back in Fuchsia.

"Well, I guess if it really isn't any trouble…"

"It isn't." Ethel said. "In fact…"

She looked away, almost as though she didn't really want to admit what she said next. "I would prefer it if we all reached Cinnabar Island and Diane at the same time, together."

Hue looked over at Aura, who was still holding Karakara like a doll, blissfully unaware of her surroundings.

She glanced in Hue's direction and gave him a beaming smile.

Hue felt his face fill with color.

 _It was just a smile I've seen countless times, why was I so embarrassed by it this time?_

His head twinged with slight pain as he heard Deus give a small snicker.

Lapras's large shell was a surprisingly comfortable considering how bumpy it was. The Transport pokemon lived up to its name quite well as it ferried Hue, Aura, and Ethel across Route 20.

"Ugh…" Aura was sprawled out across the shell, lying on her back and looking up at the sky as she occasionally leaned back and put her hand in the water to pet Tattu, Kodu, Douglas, Cooper, and Ethel's Milotic, who were all swimming along with her Lapras.

"It's so boring…" She lamented. "Can't you go any faster Monotone?"

"Lapras is going as fast as he can." Ethel replied.

 _I can't help but feel uneasy that she's responding to 'Monotone' like its her name…_

"Unnnhhhh…" Aura flipped over onto her belly. "But I still don't see Cinnabar...And I'm hungry…"

"If it will keep you quiet so that I can get some more shuteye before we arrive…" Hue began as he tossed Aura his backpack.

"I'm sure I've got some snacks in there somewhere."

"You're the best, Huey!" Aura perked up and began rummaging through Hue's bag looking for snacks. "I promise to pay you back by buying dinner when we reach Cinnabar!"

"Sounds good…" Hue gave a yawn as a reply. "Now, let me rest."

"I'm afraid we cannot." Ethel denied Hue's request for sleep. "For I still need to discuss the matter of the two of you repaying me for this ride."

Aura and Hue looked at each other with the same expression.

Hue turned to Ethel.

"This ride isn't free?"

"I'm sorry Huey, but no. This ride is in return for both of your aid in something."

"Aid in what?" Aura asked. "Because if it's anything boring, I'm not going to-."

Aura stopped her hostile sentence in its tracks when she saw the large natural stadium of rocks sticking out of water, and the large banner that hung itself on two of the larger rocks, creating the entrance into this ocean stadium.

Water War 37! A Battle Royale for the 500,000 Pokeyen Grand Prize!

"A Battle Royale?" She asked as she read the banner and her eyes lit up.

"Y-yes…" Ethel said, almost getting a little nervous. "The prize for winning is 500,000 pokeyen. And um… Well… "

As Ethel struggled to explain herself, her pokedex started to vibrate and she quickly took the call.

"Hello?"  
"Ethel!" A woman's voice yelled through the phone. "I'm currently checking the listed candidates for this year's Water War, and you haven't signed up yet! You do know how much the gym needs the funds right now, don't you? I thought I told you to find a team and enter!"

"Y-yes, Mother." Ethel replied. "But It turns out that-"

In a moment that Hue felt was beyond strange, perhaps when Ethel had said 'Mother', Aura's eyes gave off an even more intense and piercing gaze than usual. They weren't crazed or anything like when she fought NTR in Celadon, but they were definitely angry.

"Give me that." She snatched Ethel's pokedex away and talked into it.

"Don't worry about your daughter, Ms. Ross." Aura spoke bitterly into the pokedex. "She's found a team to compete with her, so get off her back already."

Before Ethel's mother could answer, Aura turned the pokedex off and tossed it back to Ethel.

"You've got yourself a team of three, Ethel." She said.

"Aura?" Hue tilted his head. "Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm feeling fine." Aura snapped at him. "And we're helping Ethel win this thing."

"Thank you." Ethel bowed her head as she thanked the two of them with little sign of emotion.

Hue thought to himself long and hard.

 _Why was Aura so determined to help Ethel now that she knew Ethel's mother was involved? And was with that hostility towards her?_

Not understanding any of the situation other than that he was just dragged into some sort of competition, Hue gave a sigh, and put all his effort into sleeping for what little time to himself he had left.

"Welcome to Water War 37!" An announcer's voice echoed throughout the stadium as Hue rode up on Douglas alongside Ethel on her Milotic, and Aura was swimming in the water while clinging to Tattu. All three of them made up a team named after a color of the rainbow. There were six teams of three in all.

Ethel, Aura, and Hue all made up the Red Team.

They were the first introduced

"The Captain, Ethel Ross and her Milotic!" The announcer shouted as the crowds of swimmers surrounded the arena and cheered. "And her crew, Aura Jones and her Horsea, and Hubert Swanson and his Blastoise!"

The crowd cheered, but not quite as loudly.

"Next up…" The announcer said. "This year's Orange Team!"

Hue's eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

She was riding a swimming Kangaskhan into the natural arena.

Her long black hair flowing like the black flag of a pirate's ship.

Her violet eyes gave a completely serious expression.

"Give it up for the captain, and the returning champion, Helen Lang, and her ever powerful Kangaskhan!" The announcer yelled.

Hue had thought Ethel received a large applause, but that was mere child's play compared to the amount of cheers that Helen generated.

"Helen?" Hue asked, still in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

Helen didn't answer.

She had a determined look in her eyes.

"And her crew!" The announcer continued as even more people Hue recognized entered the area.

"Carmen Yiddle and her Kingler, and Justin Mercer and his Snorlax!"

"Carmen?" Hue gasped.

Carmen's eyes shot towards Hue, but she didn't say a word. She just gave him an intimidating stare.

"They come here every year." Ethel explained to Hue. "And every year, they win."

Hue gulped as the announcer began to announce.

"The Yellow Team!"

Three more trainers entered in.

"Their captain...you may know her from her extensive Cooking Contest win record, and her tendency to make Kanto dishes using Johto pokemon. It's Lindsey Bailey and her Feraligatr!",

"Oooh!" Lindsey's eyes lit up. "You two!" She pointed to Hue and Aura. "You're Freddie's friends! Long time, no see!"

"Lindsey, why are you here?" Hue asked.

Lindsey pointed to the banner claiming the prize for winning was 500,000 pokeyen.

"That's enough money to buy the most cutting edge kitchen tools and appliances right now." She said. "And I'm not going to let Freddie win the people's vote in our next Cooking Contest!"

Hue held his pokedex up to Lindsey's Feraligatr.

"[Feraligatr]." Dean stated. "The [Big Jaw] Pokemon. The final evolution of Totodile. Once a Feraligatr has clamped its powerful jaws around an opponent, it won't let go until the opponent is defeated."

"So don't let us catch you." Lindsey gave a very Aura-like smirk.

"Not a problem." Aura smirked directly back at her.

"And her crew!" The announcer continued. "Morren Rex, and his Qwilfish!"

Morren swam while very loosely gripping a Qwilfish.

"How did he get that?" Aura wondered

"Oh, I traded with him." Lindsey answered. "Only temporarily though, until he gets his badge from Cinnabar and reaches Kanto's mainland again."

"And Allan Cleveland, and his Kabuto!" The announcer continued.

"Gah!" Allan pointed right away upon seeing Hue and Aura.

"You're the trainers from Rock Tunnel!"

Hue leaned down towards Aura.

"Who is that kid? Do we know him?"

"He says we met at Rock Tunnel…" Aura whispered back. "But I don't remember him at all…"

"I was the one who told you about what Victor was doing, robbing trainers of their pokeyen!" Allan tried to jog both Hue's and Aura's memory.

"Hm…" Aura seemed to be trying hard to remember this kid. "Yeah, I think might ring a bit of a bell…"

"And now for the Green Team!" The announcer continued as a person Hue _did_ recognize rode into the area. "Please welcome their captain, the volcanic trainer, some call him Blaine 2.0, using the only one of his pokemon that _isn't_ a fire type, it's Omar Murray and his Rhydon!"

The boy with the long red dreadlocks that Hue had lost the Vermillion Tournament to.

Hue had barely heard five words come out of this kids mouth, and judging by his expression, only about five more words would be uttered this time as well.

"And his crew…." The announcer continued. "Craig Woods and his Seaking!"

"Oh hey!" Aura recognized Craig Woods. "You're the boy from Lavender Town! You were trapped in the pokemon center with us!"

Craig gave Hue a very sad look.

"I heard that you were the one who took on the case for Annette's killer…It...It was that man that leads NTR wasn't it?"

Hue gave a solemn nod.

Craig gave a nod back and turned away. "I knew it was a bad idea for her to do that. I should have stopped her when I had the chance."

Hue looked over to Aura.

She seemed to be having fun right now, but…

 _I'm not going to let her end up like Annette. I'm not going to let her make_ that _face._

"And Sierra Randolph and her Starmie!" The announcer continued.

"Oh hey!" Aura pointed. "That's...She's umm…"

She turned to Hue. "Where do we know her from?"

"I think she was also part of the Vermillion Tournament." Hue replied.

"Oh, got it. She also doesn't talk much does she?"

"I don't think she talks at all…" Hue replied.

"...I do talk." Sierra mumbled, startling both Hue and Aura. "But just three…."

"Umm…" Aura tilted her head.

"Syllables." Sierra stated.

"What?" Hue asked.

"At a time." Sierra finished.

"What about in battles?" Aura asked.

"Battles are…" Sierra began.

"Yes?" Aura urged Sierra to finish.

"Exceptions." Sierra stated.

"Does this count as an exception?" Hue asked.

Sierra nodded. "Yes it does….."

After a long pause, Sierra continued. "...Once it starts."

"That team sure has some...interesting...people on it." Aura said. Hue agreed wholeheartedly.

"Now for the Blue Team!" The announcer said, excitedly.

"Welcome their captain, Victor Grail and his Tauros!"

"Victor Grail…" Allan Cleveland balled his hands into fists as his Kabuto looked up at him.

"He stole all my money when I was weak and fatigued. We can't lose to him, Kabuto."

"Victor?" Hue asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Swanson?" Victor seemed equally surprised to see Hue. "The hell are you doing here?" Victor looked to Hue's side and saw Ethel.  
"Well hel-looo, Ethel Ross…" He surfed up to her on his Tauros.

"What's a fine lady like yourself doing in a place like this? You'll break some nails, you know."

Ethel gave Victor an emotionless stare, and stated very calmly, in her monotone voice no less, the greatest thing Hue had heard all day.

"If I have to continue looking as such hideously dirty things up close, the nails I break will be yours."

It took Hue's entire being to hold in the laughter.

Aura was not nearly as strong willed. She was cracking up.

"What's so funny?" Victor asked as he surfed over to Aura.

For whatever reason, Victor didn't seem to realize that Aura was the same Aura that he had fought in Viridian and that he had seen in Rock Tunnel, maybe because she wasn't wearing a hakama and even if she still did, she had changed into her seaking design bikini anyway.

This prompted Victor to say something that made Hue very angry.

"Other than the fact that you think that swimsuit makes you look even remotely attractive."

Now, Aura was perfectly capable of standing up for herself, and probably would have said something to shut Victor up once and for all, but despite his better judgement, Hue was the one who reacted instead.

He pointed to Victor's "crew" as the announcer had announced them. "Twilight Church and her Tentacruel, and Cherry Devonshire and her Dewgong."

"I don't think it matters what she wears." Hue said to Victor as he pointed at Twilight and Cherry. "Aura is leaps and bounds more attractive than the trash that is your crew."

"Swanson….." Twilight began to growl. "Did I just hear you correctly?"

At this point Hue realized that he was now in deep shit.

"Listen up Swanson." Victor got up in Hue's face. Despite being roughly the same age, Victor looked so much older. "I don't care that you were just sticking up for one of your little girlfriends. I will not tolerate you insulting Cherry. You will not leave here in one piece."

 _Wait a minute…_

"Wait a second…" Aura seemed to be having the same thought.

They looked on as Victor spent the rest of the opening introduction comforting Cherry on her Dewgong….and _only_ comforting Cherry.

Twilight was just staring on at Hue with murder in her mismatched eyes.

"Third Wheel award of the year goes to…" Hue joked to Aura, whose face had gone red for some reason.

Hue heard some giggling and looked over to see Lindsey on her Feraligatr.

"Hue and Aura, sitting in a tree…" She began to chant quietly.

Thankfully, the announcer drowned out the rest of it.

"And our final team, the Violet Team!"

"What about Indigo?" Hue asked.

"No." Ethel shook her head. "We can't use Indigo as a team name. It's part of the law that Indigo Plateau remains the only area in the Indigo Area with association with that particular color."

"Oh…"

"Please welcome their captain...Hoenn's most recent Top Coordinator...Monica Wright and her Gorebyss!"

"Wooo!" The audience began to give big cheers again.

Monica looked like what Hue liked to think Diane would look like if she straightened her curly hair, dressed up in feminine clothing, and had her breasts grow to about 1.5 times their current size. So despite having freckles and red hair, she looked nothing at all like Diane now that Hue thought more about it.

She was laughing and blowing kisses to the audience, milking her celebrity status to no end.

"And her crew…" The announcer continued. "Terrence Lovelace and his Carracosta!"

"Of course he's here with her…" Aura rolled her eyes. "But I'm excited to see the third member of her crew."

"Yeah." Hue agreed. "They're probably also from Hoenn."

"Or probably really strong…"

"Or maybe a good coordinator rival of hers…"

"All of those are wrong." Ethel said as she pointed.

"And riding in on his Golduck,..." The announcer said as Hue's eyes widened and jaw dropped even further. "Donovan Key!"

"Donovan?" Hue asked in disbelief, which he seemed to be doing a lot of lately. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I don't know!" Donovan seemed to be just as confused with his presence as Hue was.

"I was training with Goldy here…" He patted his Golduck. "But then _they_ come up, and _she's_ all like 'you're going to be our third team member for the Water War! I couldn't just say no though! She looks too much like Didi for me to do that!"

 _Oh, so maybe she does look a bit like Diane after all_.

"Well, at least we're in this together…" Hue put a hand on Donovan's shoulder.

Donovan nodded. "But I won't go easy on you just because we're friends."

"I wouldn't want you to."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...Hey, Hue…" Donovan finally said. He gave an embarrassed smile. "Do you have any idea what it is we're supposed to do here?"

"Donnie, Donnie, Donnie…." Hue patted Donovan's shoulder over and over. "I don't have the slightest idea. I thought _you_ knew…"

"The announcer will explain it." Ethel said. "Donovan, go join your team."

"Sure thing, robot lady…" Donovan mumbled as he left.

"That's everyone competing in this year's Water War!" The announcer yelled.

The crowd cheered.

"Now, let's explain the rules to all you lovely people! Contestants and audience members alike!"

The crowd cheered again as the announcer began to explain the rules.

"Alright, listen up everyone. In this Battle Royale, there are eighteen contestants, forming six teams of three!" The announcer said. "Each team is tasked with guarding a certain territory of the water within the buoys of their team's color. The colors are Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, and Purple. You'll notice that each territory is a circle nowhere near another territory. If a member of a team is inside their own territory, no one may attack them under any circumstances. In between those place we have what is known as Open Waters. This is where the fighting takes place. Fighting takes place the same way a pokemon battle is conducted, trainers will call on their single swimming pokemon to use moves against the pokemon of other trainers. If a pokemon faints, the crew member controlling that pokemon is out of the competition. However, should a captain of a team bring the defeated crew member back to their zone without them of their pokemon getting touched by any opposing players or pokemon, the crew member will be able to re-enter the fray!"

"I think I get it…" Hue said. "Aura and I will go out there attacking other trainers, and if we're defeated, Ethel can bring us back to our safe zone and return us to play again."

"If a captain is defeated however…" The announcer continued. "Then the team of their color is dissolved! The crew members become solo players, and can now only reside in Open Waters, making it quite difficult to catch their breath!"

"So, if Ethel's defeated…" Aura paraphrased. "Huey and I both become solo players and lose our right to a sanctuary free from attacks."

"Every five minutes, I'll give you an update on who is currently in what state from each team. Either, Active: in Open Water, Passive: In their base, Sinking: Out of the competition, but possible for the captain to save them, or Sunken: Out of the competition with no hope for return. After a certain amount of time has passed, or if a certain amount of players remain…" The announcer continued. "All teams will be dissolved and each remaining player, regardless of what they were before, will become a solo player for the duration of the Water War! The last player with their pokemon standing claims the 500,000 pokeyen prize!"

"Okay…" Hue nodded as he looked down at Douglas.

"Sounds like this is just up our alley, huh Douglas?" he grinned.

"Blaaastoise…" Douglas bubbled from the water.

"Teams, please head to your designated safe zones!" The announcer called. "Devise a strategy and ready yourselves for the sound of the starting horn!"

*Safezone*

"Alright, captain…" Aura said. "You led us to victory in Saffron, so we're listening to you again now. Have any idea on what to do?"

"Yes." Ethel nodded. "Aura, you have Tattu with you, which makes you much faster than Hue and Douglas. You're going to be playing the role of a sniper."

"A sniper?" Aura asked.

"Yes." Ethel replied. "You'll go underwater, and attack pokemon that can't dive down, like for instance...Victor's Tauros."

Aura's eyes flickered with excitement.

"Oooh, I _like_ this plan."

"What about me?" Hue asked Ethel. "What do I do?"

"Blastoise are powerful with those cannons." Ethel said in her emotionless voice. "But they are also slow. You are effectively a heavy cruiser right now, Huey. You can move about at your will and attack whomever, but if you feel like you're in danger, don't try to retreat. Instead, call for me. Milotic and I will come get you."

"R-right." Hue nodded.

"As for myself…" Ethel finished. "I'll be circling the area, keeping a close eye on both of you, retreating to our safe zone after every few laps. If I see another captain, I'll likely engage them in battle."

Boooooonnnnnnnnnnn….

The horn sounded and instantly loud splashes were heard.

"Bye bye!" Aura winked at both Hue and Ethel as she dove down into the water and began to swim with Tattu.

"Good luck, Huey." Ethel said as she zoomed off on her Milotic.

Hue turned to Douglas. "Well buddy, let's go off and look for people to shoot with a Water Pulse!"

"Blasss!" Douglas bubbled.

Ethel was correct.

Douglas was terribly slow.

That was okay though.

Eventually, someone would come to Hue.

It happened sooner than he expected.

Craig Woods, of the Green Team, led by Omar Murray. Craig was swimming alongside his Seaking.

"You…" He stated. "You only found out who Annette's killer was. You didn't catch them! Isn't it your job to arrest and catch the criminals you track down?"

"Oh geez…" Hue sighed, mainly because memories he didn't want to dwell on came flooding back to him with being reminded of this case.

He turned to face Craig.

"I'm sorry." He said. "I let the culprit get away, and I take full responsibility, but…"

Hue thought about the state he had seen Gloria in that night.

"But I was protecting someone very important to me instead. Their safety came before anything."

"I…" Craig's hands were trembling. "Understand...but...allow me to challenge you anyways. I need to vent…"

Hue's eyes widened again as he continued to remember the events at Fuchsia City.

" _I, Ethel Ross, challenge you to a full 6 on 6 battle!" Those were the words she said but...She was probably in my shoes right now. Giving someone who had lost something important a safe way to vent their frustration…_

"I accept." Hue nodded.

"Seaking!" Craig called. "Horn Drill!"

"Protect, Douglas."

Seaking's Horn couldn't pierce the green forcefield that Douglas had created.

"Fury Attack!" Craig shouted out.

"Just endure it, Douglas." Hue said. "He needs some time."

Douglas endured all the Fury Attacks that did very little damaged to the Shellfish pokemon.

This type of defense continued until the first announcement.

"Five minutes in!" The announcer yelled. "Twilight of Blue has been Sunk by Allan of Yellow, Carmen of Orange has been Sunk by Terrence of Purple, Ethel of Red is currently Passive. All other players are Active."

"That's enough of this." Hue said, realizing how much time Douglas had spent on Craig by now.

"Douglas, use Skull Bash."

"Toise…" Douglas readied its head.

"Seaking, use Horn Drill!" Craig yelled.

The two pokemon collided and full force, and Douglas pushed Craig and his Seaking back quite a few yards.

"Sorry Craig." Hue said. "But Douglas is just a higher level than that Seaking. I was never really in any danger from that attack."

Hue looked down at Douglas.

"Let's go back to the safe zone for now, buddy."

"Blas-toooiiise!" Douglas scurried forward a few feet, very suddenly.

"The hell was that?" Hue asked as he turned around and saw the small horn connected to the white seal-looking pokemon.

"Dewgong!" Cherry's Dewgong yelled as it surfaced.

"You….." She hissed at Hue.

 _Oh, so it seems she's pissed about my big fat mouth from earlier too…_

"How _dare_ you!" She continued. "I am more attractive than every woman you know _combined_!"

 _Not when half your weight is comprised of makeup, you're not._

"Arrogant, much?" Hue asked as Douglas turned around to face Cherry and her Dewgong.

"You're rude to Twily, Victor doesn't like you…" Cherry said through gritted teeth. "That makes you a loser who doesn't know jack!"

 _Is this woman nothing but a sheep that just lets others do her thinking?_

"I'm surprised actually…" Hue said. "The way he was acting, I was expecting Victor to be the one to come up and challenge me."

"Victor is…" Cherry looked over to where Victor was battling Omar Murray in the water. "Busy right now…" she finished.

She turned to face Hue and her Dewgong readied itself. "So _I'll_ take you out of the running in his place!"

Hue raised his pokedex to the Dewgong.

"[Dewgong]." Dean informed him. "The [Sea Lion] Pokemon. The evolved form of Seel. This Water/Ice pokemon can easily resist extreme cold."

"Oh, that would have been a lovely pokemon to have just last night." Hue lamented.

"Stop treating me like I'm not a threat and fight!" Cherry yelled. "Dewgong, use Signal Beam!"

"Douglas, use Water Pulse!" Hue retaliated.

The two attacks collided with each other in the air, and created small glittering raindrops.

If this had been a contest, that probably would have given Hue a lot of points.

"Don't let up Dewgong!" Cherry called. "Use Aurora Beam!"

"Rapid Spin!" Hue shouted as he braced and Douglas rapidly spun out of the Aurora's Beam's direction.

"Now use Water Pulse once more!"

"Ice Shard!" Cherry countered as her Dewgong shot out a small shard of ice, which knocked Douglas backwards.

"Ugh…" Hue said as he and Douglas regained their composure.

"She's not giving us a chance to attack at all…If this keeps up…"

"Now Dewgong!" Cherry pointed as she shouted. "Use-!"

Before she could finish, Dewgong instantly began splashing about in the water, bringing its flippers up to its eyes.

"What is it?" Cherry asked. "Ah! Your face!"

Hue noticed that a large amount of black ink had been squirted into the Dewgong's white face.

He looked under the water to see Aura swimming with Tattu as though her Horsea was a gun. She gave Hue a thumbs up and a wink.

Hue returned the favor and motioned for her to leave the area.

"Now's our chance, Douglas!" He told his Blastoise. "Skull Bash!"

"Toise!"

Douglas rammed into Cherry and her Dewgong full force,

"Dammit!" Cherry said as she fell off her now unconscious Dewgong.

"I'm sinking, Victor!"

"It looks like the Blue Team has already been completely eliminated from play!" The announcer said.

Hue looked over to see that Omar had emerged victorious from his scuffle with Victor.

"Time for an update: Newly sunken players: Craig of the Green Team has been sunk by Hubert of the Red Team! Victor of the Blue Team has been sunk by Omar of the Green Team, Cherry, now unaffiliated, has been sunk by Hue of the Red Team, and finally, Allan of the Yellow Team has been sunk by Donovan of the Purple Team!"

"Let's head back to base." Hue told Douglas as the announcer continued.

"Still Active are Hubert of the Red Team, Aura of the Red Team, Ethel of the Red Team. Omar of the Yellow Team, Sierra of the Yellow Team, and Terrence of the Purple Team. The remaining players are all Passive in their bases!"

"Oh…" Hue said. "Then maybe we should…"

"Rhydon?" Omar seemed surprised at his Rhydon's sudden convulsion of pain.

"Are you okay?"

"Donnnnnnn…" Omar's Rhydon began to sink to the bottom of the sea.

Aura surfaced from the water, looking an awful lot like a mermaid when she did so.

"And there goes a captain." She smiled at Hue.

"You are just on fire today, aren't you?" Hue couldn't help smiling back.

"We need to win." Aura gave a serious look. "This is something Ethel's doing for her _mother_."

Aura said the word 'mother' with a bitter look on her face.

"Speaking of Ethel, we should return to her for some further instructions, just in case…" Hue said.

Aura nodded, dove back under the water, and headed back towards the safe zone.

Hue began to head back too, but was cut off.

"Hello." The boy said. "My name is Terrence Lovelace, and though I don't really enjoy these things that Monica makes me do...I'll at least help her out as much as I can."

"Carracosta!" His Carracosta said.

"You're a member of the Red Team. That's the only other team besides Purple to still have all its contestants. Thus, it makes sense to weaken you while you're divided."

"What are you talking about?" Hue asked.

"Huey!" Aura surfaced from the water and shouted back to him. "We've got trouble! Ethel's surrounded!"

 _But If Ethel's taken out…._

"We need to disband your team." Terrence replied. "Nothing personal. Simply strategy."

"Aura!" Hue yelled. "Go help Ethel if you can help it! If you can't head to the safe zone while we still have one!"

Aura nodded and dove back down into the water.

"And you're here to keep me from helping her aren't you?" Hue asked Terrence who gave a nod.

Hue held up his pokedex to Carracosta.

"[Carracosta]." Dean stated. "The [Prototurtle] Pokemon. Living in the sea and on land, Carracosta has incredibly strong jaws and is capable of destroying a giant boulder with one powerful slap."

"Uh-oh.."

"Smack Down!' Terrence called as his Carracosta raised one of its flippers and brough it down towards Hue and Douglas.

"R-Rapid Spin out of the way!" Hue stuttered just in time.

A large splash of water rocked Hue and Douglas around.

"Crunch!" Terrance yelled.

"Protect!" Hue called out.

The green forcefield held off the Prototurtle pokemon, but Hue knew that he wouldn't get lucky a second time.

"Douglas, we can't Skull Bash this guy…" He said.

"Blastoise…" Douglas nodded.

"That leaves one option…." Hue reasoned. "Water Pulse!"

"Brine!" Terrence countered.

The water attacks collided in the air and created a bunch of rain over the pokemon.

"Carracosta, this is taking too long…" Terrence said. "Use Shell Smash!"

"Cos….ta!" Carracosta rammed into a nearby rock, and smashed a small layer of its shell off, before then taking off at a much faster speed.

"Shell Smash makes Carracosta much faster and more powerful." Terrence said. "Time to eliminate you from the royale."

"There is a bit of a drawback to Shell Smash though…" Hue said, not completely sure what he had planned would succeed.

"Carracosta!" Terrence called. "Crunch!"

"Douglas!" Hue yelled. "Don't be afraid of it! Instead, Water Pulse!"  
"Blaaaaas!" Douglas shot a Water Pulse that hit Carracosta directly, ramming it back into the rock.

"Ah!" Terrence gasped. "Carracosta?"

Hue gave a sigh of relief.

"Shell Smash also makes Carracosta weaker, causing it to take more damage from attacks." Hue explained to Terrence as he and Douglas turned around to go and help Ethel.

Hue froze.

There was no Ethel to help.

"Aura!" Hue called as he saw Aura surface.

She looked at Hue with sad eyes and shook her head.

"No…"

"Don't worry." Aura said. "We aren't doomed or anything."

"And with that, we are down to our final nine!" The announcer announced. "All teams are dissolved! From here on in, Hubert, Aura, Helen, Justin, Lindsey, Morren, Sierra, Monica, and Donovan are all solo players!"

Instantly Aura turned to Hue.

"We might be solo players now, but I promise not to get rid of you until it's just us left. Care to make the same deal with me?"

 _If it's just me and Aura left in the finals, given the pokemon she's using, I think I'll be fine_.

"Alright." Hue nodded. "Deal."

"Well…" Helen sighed. "It looks like now is the time…"

She reached down to her waist, and touched her keystone.

"Kangaskhan!" She called to her pokemon. "Now is the time to Mega Evolve!"

The audience began to cheer.

 _This is…_

Hue looked on in awe as Helen and Mega Kangaskhan sunk Monica, Morren, and Donovan all with a single use of Outrage.

 _This is...Mega Evolution?_

"How the hell are we going to beat that?" Aura asked.

"Only one way…" Lindsey said as she and her Feraligatr joined up with Hue and Aura.

"Group assault…." Sierra said as she and Starmie headed towards everyone.

"Okay…" Hue nodded. "But it's us four…"

Justin seemed to be guarding Helen and the Mega Kangaskhan with his life.

"How do we deal with the Snorlax?"

"I'll do it." Lindsey said. "Feraligatr can handle that large ball of fat. You three gang up on Helen. The good news is that with her Outrage, her Kangaskhan is probably confused right now. It might make things easier for you."

"Lindsey…." Hue asked. "How powerful is a Mega Evolution?"

"I'll put it this way…" Lindsey said. "I'm sending in _three_ of you to deal with _one_ of her, and I feel like if I survive my scuffle with Justin and I come back to help you guys, then we _might_ be able to win."

Hue could feel himself losing heart.

"A Mega Evolution is that powerful, huh?"

"Huey…" Aura put her hand on Douglas as she looked up at Hue. "This is still Helen we're talking about though. We're not facing Articuno or anything."

"R-right." Hue reminded himself that this would probably be nothing like the massacre from Articuno he had just endured.

"Charge!" He yelled as he and Douglas, Aura and Tattu, and Sierra and her Starmie all charged towards Helen and her Mega Kangaskhan.

"It looks as though the other players have formed a temporary alliance to take Helen out of the competition!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Snorlax!" Justin ordered. "Body Slam!"

"Feraligatr!" Lindsey yelled. "Agility, and then jump up and grab the Snorlax in the air with Crunch!"

"Gatr…." Feraligatr hissed as it quickly sped up in the water and caught the Snorlax in the air by one of its arms before it jumped back into the water, creating a giant splash.

"She's not going to let go until she defeats him, eh?" Hue asked as he, Aura, and Sierra approached Helen and Kangaskhan.  
"Sorry about this Helen…" Hue said. "But your win record needs to end here. Aura and I promised Ethel we'd win the money for her mother and the Viridian Gym."

Helen then gave Hue the coldest stare he had ever seen Helen give.

"I know." Helen said. "That's why I can't let you win."

 _Now, I_ know _I'm missing something important about Ethel's mother…._

"Everyone's acting so strange today…" Hue sighed.

"Douglas, Water Pulse!" He called out.

"Tattu!" Aura held up her Horsea. "Bubblebeam!"

"And Starmie…" Sierra pointed her Starmie towards Helen. "Thunderbolt!"

"They can _learn_ that?" Aura asked in disbelief as each pokemon fired off their attack.

"Yes they can." Sierra nodded.

As each attack hit Helen's Mega Kangaskhan, the pokemon swam back a little bit, but aside from some scrapes and bruises, the Parent Pokemon looked fine.

"Huey…" Aura said. "Now would be a good time to use that pokedex of yours and get us some information."

"R-right…" Hue nodded.

"[Kangaskhan]." Dean stated as Helen readied her Kangaskhan for an attack. "The [Parent] Pokemon. Once approaching extinction, they are now protected by law and inhabit the Safari Zone. Approach with extreme caution. Kangaskhan is a rare Pokemon which raises children in its pocket. They will attack viciously and without warning if they feel their young are threatened in any way."

"Oooh!" Aura's eyes lit up. "I thought of a dangerous idea!"

"Well-" Hue began.

"Mega Punch." Helen said.

Instantly the Mega Kangaskhan gave Sierra and her Starmie a double helping of Mega Punch.

"Two attacks?" Hue asked in disbelief as Starmie lost consciousness.

"This is bad..." Sierra said. "Sorry guys."

"Dangerous idea is now an _extremely_ dangerous idea." Aura revised her previous statement.

Hue held Dean up to the Kangaskhan again.

"What was that ability?"

"[Parental Bond]." Dean informed Hue. "Parent and child attack together."

"Khan!" The smaller of the two Kangaskhan jumped out of the water.

"So that's the child huh?" Aura's eyes flickered. "Ready Huey?"

"For what?'

"I want you to act like you're going to attack that little Kangaskhan. The big one will get angry and attack you, then you'll use Protect, and Tattu and I will get in a free shot on the sucker!"

"But first…" She turned to Tattu.

"Focus Energy."

"Horsea…" Tattu began to focus itself, prompting Hue to think back to when Karakara knew Focus Energy as well.

"Alright Douglas…" Hue told his Blastoise with as serious a tone as he could muster.

"We've got an important role to play. We're going to Skull Bash that small Kangaskhan!"

"Blas…" Douglas noded as he began to jettison himself headfirst towards the smaller Kangaskhan.

"Khaaan!" The larger one, the one Helen was riding, took note of this, and began to fire what looked like a Hyper Beam.

"Oooh boy…" Hue said as Douglas stopped short of the smaller Kangaskhan. "Douglas, Protect!"

"Blastoise!" Douglas put up his forcefield and the giant beam of pure power nearly surrounded their protective green shield, some of the water even evaporated.

"And, Bubblebeam!" Aura yelled as she surfaced behind the large Kangaskhan, holding Tattu.

"Hor….seaseaseaseasea!"

"Khaaan!" Helen's Kangaskhan turned around as it wailed in pain.

 _Thank Arceus for Focus Energy…_

"Douglas, now's our chance to let out an attack too!" Hue called out. "Water Pulse!"

"Blas...Toise!" Douglas shot a Water Pulse from his cannons, once again, hitting the larger Kangaskhan in the back.

"Urgh…" Helen seemed at a loss for what to do. Her Kangaskhan wanted to protect its child no matter what, putting a higher priority on it than listening to what Helen said.

"Now Aura!" Hue said as Aura returned to Hue's side and the Kangaskhan turned around again. "Let's team up again and see if we can't finish it off!"

"Right!" Aura nodded.

"Douglas!" Hue called.

"Tattu!" Aura called. "Use Bubblebeam!"

"Use Water Pulse!" Hue called again.

"Blas-Blaaaaaaaaaa!" Douglas wailed in agony.

"Douglas?" Hue asked, startled.

Aura gave a large gasp and pointed down under the water.

"Feraligatr…." Lindsey's Feraligatr was biting onto Douglas's leg.

"Lindsey!" Hue called out, angry. "What the hell?"

Aura looked over and noticed Justin resting on an unconscious Snorlax. It seemed as though Lindsey had succeeded in her first mission.

"Sorry Hue." Lindsey said as she quickly stuck her head above the water. "But Helen's losing her cool, and Aura won't be hard to defeat with just a Horsea. "I need to get rid of the biggest threat!"

"Come on, let go!"

"No can do." Lindsey shook her head. "A Feraligatr does not let go until its opponent goes down."

 _Hmmm…_

Hue suddenly got an idea.

"Aura…" He said. "I know how we can win."

He turned to Douglas. "Douglas, charge the Kangaskhan with a Skull Bash! Do it, and don't let up!"

"Blaaaaaaassssssss!" Douglas hollered as it used its cannons to jet itself, and by extension Lindsey and her Feraligatr, towards Helen and the Mega Kangaskhan.

"Kangaskhan!" Helen shouted. "Hyper Beam!"

Hue didn't call for Protect this time.

Instead…

"Douglas, right before it hits you, Rapid Spin so that you're upside down!"

"Blas!" Douglas quickly flipped over, pushing Feraligatr and Lindsey up out of the water just in time for _everyone_ to be included in the Hyper Beam.

"And it looks like both Hubert and Lindsey have been taken out of the running with one attack!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Finally…" Helen sighed. "Another wi-"

*Splash*

Helen turned around to see Aura jump out of the water behind her.

"Target locked." Aura said as she held Tattu out towards the Kangaskhan.

"Kangaskhan!" Helen patted her Kangaskhan on its shoulder, but thanks to its Hyper Beam, it couldn't quite move.

"Ready…" Aura continued. "Aim…."

Aura landed on Kangaskhan's shoulder, right next to Helen. She aimed Tattu down towards the Kangaskhan as she whispered in Helen's ear.

"Brine."

"Horseaaaa!" Tattu let out a large barrage of water that knocked the mighty beast over. The Kangaskhan reverted back to its original form.

"Mother of Mew, we have a new winner!" The announcer exclaimed. "Aura Jones and her Horsea!"

The ceremony gave Aura, yes _Aura_ , a large check for 500,000 pokeyen.

"Heehee!" She giggled as she waved from her first place podium.

Helen seemed a little disappointed about coming in second, but whatever grudge she had to keep the Viridian gym from receiving this money, it seemed to not matter to her anymore.

Hue looked up at Aura from his own third place podium, which he had to share with Lindsey since they were eliminated at the same time.

"She seems to be having a lot of fun." Lindsey poked Hue's shoulder. "Winning this is sure to give her some real confidence in both battles and contests to come for her."

"Yeah." Hue nodded.

 _I'm just glad she had fun._

"Up!" Aura punched Hue in the gut as Hue was jolted awake. "Huey, wake u-" She was about to throw another fist down when Hue caught it.

"The hell are you doing?" He asked. "I thought I made it clear that I wanted to-"

"But we're finally here!" Aura replied as she pointed to the volcanic island that was getting closer by the second.

"Cinnabar Island!"

"Alright, you're welcome." Ethel said into her pokedex. She turned back to Aura and Hue.

"Thank you for allowing us to use half of your winnings Aura." Ethel gave a bit of a bow/nod, and Hue couldn't tell which one she meant to give first.

"Anything to get _that_ witch off your back." Aura shuddered.

"Am I missing something?" Hue wondered aloud. "Ethel, I had always assumed that your mother was a nice person…"

"My _birth mother_ …" Ethel began. "... _Was_ a very nice person. However...she um...passed away, and I'd prefer not to say how."

Hue gave an understanding nod.

"The woman you heard on the phone is the _step mother_ that I've known for practically my whole life."

Hue's eyes narrowed. "You have an evil stepmother…"

Ethel shook her head. "No no, not evil at all. A very good person. Just...not a very _kid friendly_ woman."

"I see…" Hue nodded. He turned to Aura. "And how do _you_ fit into all of that?"

Aura bit her nail and looked away.

"I just don't like seeing people treat others like that." She said, clearly dodging the question by giving a cop-out answer.

 _Whatever, she was in a good mood, so I guess I won't push her further for now. There will be plenty of time to discover the truth of that matter in Viridian when we end up back there again._

Ethel's Lapras docked at the Island, which even though it was the middle of winter, still had a low of above 70 degrees.

"I guess that's what a volcano does…" Aura shrugged as she happily removed the jacket she had all but stolen from Hue and put it back in his bag.

"Ahhh, to no longer be freezing!"

"Cinnabar Island…" Hue said, looking around.

 _This is where…._

"Ethel! Aura! Huey!" Diane waved the three of them over to where she was standing, amidst ash covered ruins of what looked to be both a large mansion and a peculiar laboratory.

 _This place is where…._

"Alright!" Diane clasped her hands together. "Huey!" She pointed at Hue. "It's time for you to finally remember exactly what role you played in this building's destruction!"

 _This is where I was taken when I was kidnapped._

 _This is where I was experimented upon._

 _This is where I saw Chandler's crazed eyes for the first time._

 _And most importantly…_

 _This was where I last saw..._ her…. _the Dragonite Girl._


	54. Old Building, Old Memories

Chapter 54:

Old Building, Old Memories

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Protect, Rapid Spin, Water Pulse, Skull Bash

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Fury Cutter

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Ace(Pidgeotto): Mud Slap, Roost, Twister, Wing Attack

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

After switching his party around so that he had a team better suited for investigation, Hue reunited with everyone else in front of the entrance to the ruined building.

"Ack." Ethel coughed. "The volcanic ash from the air and the ash from some sort of fire on the ground are making it rather hard to breathe here."

"Sorry about that." Diane apologized. "But you'll get used to it sooner than you think."

"DiDi…" Hue gulped. "You said I had a role in the destruction of this building?" He asked.

Ethel looked down as she closed her eyes and crossed her arms.

Aura bit her nail and looked away from everyone.

"A rather large one, according to what I've been able to piece together." Diane answered with a serious nod.

If Diane of all people was acting this serious, then there were probably many things Hue didn't want to see in those ashen ruins.

It looked like neither Ethel nor Aura were too keen on entering the area either.

Hue understood Aura's hesitation. After all, this was where her brother had suffered practically the same fate as Hue.

Ethel's aversion however, was a mystery.

Still though, Hue had a feeling the only way he'd get to the bottom of any of this was to go inside.

"Alright." Hue nodded as he sent out Gordon and put his hand on the Nidorino. "Let's head on inside then."

The very first room the four of them entered was a large room that looked alarmingly like the foyer of some rich person's mansion. Various Growlithe and Vulpix that had been resting peacefully in the ash scattered and ran away from the sight of the four trainers.

"I think it would be best…" Ethel said. "If we split up into our travel groups and agreed to meet back up here in say…"

She quickly took Aura's pokedex and set a timer.

"Around two hours at the latest. If you hear that timer go off, you should start making your way back here."

"A time limit?" Diane asked with the tilt of her head. "Wouldn't it be better for-?"

Ethel pointed to Aura.

Until very recently Aura had the biggest smile on her face, but now she was almost as emotionless as Ethel looked and sounded all the time.

"This building is where…." Aura muttered.

She didn't finish her sentence.

Almost instinctively, Hue put his arm around her shoulder.

"You alright?" He asked. "You can just wait in the Pokemon Center if you want to you know…"

Aura shook her head.

"No...there's...there's something I want to find here too...I'll be fine, don't worry."

Hue began to worry even more, but listened to Aura all the same.

"In that case." He turned to Diane. "We'll be heading off now. We'll meet you back here at around the time set on the timer. If it goes off and we aren't back there yet, give us another half hour or so to find our way."

Diane nodded.

"Be brave, Huey." She said as she put her hand on my shoulder, acting like she was sending a soldier off into battle.

 _You're younger than me...why are you acting like I'm your kid?_

"You guys too." Hue nodded back to them.

As Hue and Aura continued through the ash filled mansion, looking at nearly every nook and cranny, they eventually came to the remains of what looked to be a small desk.

"There's some paper on here." Aura said, noticing two different sheets of paper, both of which looked incredibly singed.

The sheet on the left looked almost decades older than the sheet on the right.

"Diary: July 5," Hue managed to make out.

"A new pokemon was discovered in the jungle."

"Year?" Aura asked.

Hue shook his head. "I can't tell. But at the very least….it seems much older than the other sheet of paper."

Aura picked up the other sheet of paper.

"Entry 1." She read aloud.

" We should have never visited that place. Now my own daughter writhes with pain every night, my wife refuses to talk to me anymore, and instead has consumed herself with work. No professional doctors even believe a word of what I'm saying. They all think I'm a loon. Thankfully, Gordon and Moe still believe in me. Hopefully between the three of us, we can-"

Aura stopped. "Most of the writing after that is illegible."

"What can you still make out from it?" Hue asked.

"...A single phrase. I can see it being repeated over and over."

Hue waited patiently for Aura to say the phrase.

She looked up at Hue. "Save Her." She said. "Both the 'S' and 'H' are capitalized."

"That mentions Gordon and Moe…" Hue said.

Aura nodded. "It's just like the other note that Annette had in Fuchsia City. Although I can't make out the name of the author of this note, it does start with a 'C' and end with an 'R'."

"So I think we can say with a fair amount of certainty that this is Chandler's first journal entry." Hue replied.

"Rino…." Gordon gave a slow nod.

"Let's keep investigating…" Aura said as she pocketed both pieces of paper and stuffed them into her bag.

Hue and Aura continued to walk through the mansion until Aura arrived a strange statue.

"What pokemon is this?" She asked. "It's so cute! I want it!"

Her voice had emotion this time, but her face still looked exactly the same.

It was beginning to creep Hue out.

Hue held up his pokedex to the statue.

"[Mew], the [New Species] Pokemon." Dean stated. "So rare that it is still believed to be a mirage by many experts. Only a few people have seen it worldwide. Apparently, it appears only to those who are pure of heart and have a strong desire to see it. It's DNA is said to contain the genetic codes of all pokemon, so it can use all kinds of techniques."

"Oh…." Aura reverted back to her emotionless state. "Forget it then. I don't want a pokemon like that."

Hue raised an eyebrow. "You sure did a minute ago…"

Aura bit her nail and looked away. "I didn't realize it was _that_ pokemon." She said.

She held up the older journal paper and continued to read from it.

"July 10. We christened the newly discovered pokemon: Mew." She read. "It was on the backside of the paper."

"Okay?" Hue replied, unsure of why that would be Aura's reason for not wanting to try and catch Mew anymore.

Inspecting the statue further, Hue found a switch.

He turned to Gordon.

"What do you say? Do we press it?"

"Nidorino." Gordon grinned as he poked the switch with his horn.

Instantly, the whole building began to shake, and what Hue and Aura had both thought to be a wall rose like a portcullis, revealing a secret passageway.

"Should we go down there?" Hue asked Aura.

Aura's response was to send out Purin, whom she had likely brought back into her party while Hue was switching his own pokemon around..

"Dazzling Gleam." She said.

"Wigglytuff!" Purin lit up just like he had in Rock Tunnel.

"Let's go further down those stairs." She said.

As Hue walked down the stairs….

His head began to throb with pain, though this time, Deus's wasn't the cause of it.

He was…remembering something!

 _Yes! This is the exact place where-!_

*8 years ago*

"The rest of the DNA…." Chandler said, as he pushed down on the shot, and injected a purple fluid into Hue's vein.

"What are you doing?" A familiar girl's very worried and terrified voice asked in horror.

Hue turned his head from where he was being pinned down to the table to see…

"Dragonite Girl!" He yelled.

The man administering Hue's shot and looked over at the girl who was hiding behind a Dragonite Doll.

"Oh, so you wanted the rest of the DNA did you, Subject 2?" Chandler laughed. "I'd give this to Subject 3 before I'd even _think_ about giving it to you. You're far too weak to handle it. You can barely even handle what little DNA I gave you."

"G-get away from him!" The girl stammered.  
She tossed her Dragonite Doll towards the man but tripped as she did, and began to tumble down another small flight of stairs.

"Dragonite Girl!" Hue yelled. He tried to run after her but Chandler pinned him back down to the table.

"No no no, Subject 4." Chandler said with his crazed eyes. "We can't have you running after her now can we?"

He leaned in close and whispered in Hue's ear. "Besides, what I just said was a lie. The truth is, Subject 2 is far stronger than either you _or_ Subject 1. If I gave her the extra DNA, she'd wreck this building even further!"

"W-what about Subject 3?" Hue managed to ask despite his crippling fear.

"Tch." Chandler's ice blue eyes were ablaze with fury and insanity. "I think I'll tell you, since soon you'll turn into the same monster that they were."

In that one moment, Chandler's eyes didn't look crazy. They looked sorrowful, like they were pleading for help.

"Subject 3 is _dead_."

Chandler's eyes returned to their crazed look. "And soon, Subject 2 will be as well!"

Hue remembered what happened next very vaguely.

He remembered becoming furious, and letting loose a powerful blast of energy, and he remembered Chandler saying, in distress "Of course Gordon's son would be the one that burned this place down a second time!" Finally, he remembered Chandler turning to him, and seeing not the crazed eyed insane man, but the sorrowful and pleading eyes as Chandler reached out his hands and hoisted the six year old Hue over his shoulder. "I'm sorry Gordon." Chandler said before Hue lost consciousness. "I should have listened to you."

*Present Day*

"Huey?" Aura shook Hue back to reality.

"Aura…" Hue rubbed his head, groggily. "Where are we?"

"We're…" Aura looked around.

"It looks like some sort of abandoned lab…Probably the one you kept rambling on about while you spoke your, and I quote 'ultimate hidden knowledge' at me. "

As embarrassed as he was that he had said that in his delirious state while remembering exactly what had happened to him, Hue instantly sat himself upright and looked around frantically.

There they were. The steps that the Dragonite Girl had fallen down.

Hue quickly ran to them, but before he could start descending…

"I assume, you're looking for this?" Aura asked as she held up the singed remains of the exact Dragonite Doll that Hue remembered seeing in his dreams.

"That's-!"

"Dirty and probably disease ridden." Aura said as she put the singed plushie back down on the ground and rinsed her hands with Bubble Beams from Tattu. "Besides, the girl you want to return this to has probably already bought another one."

"I...I know…" Hue said as he quickly scooped the plush doll into an empty pouch of his bag. "But I made a silly promise to help catch that girl a Dragonite of all things, and since I don't have the slightest clue on where or how I could find one of those, the best thing I can do is return the original doll to her."

Aura bit her nail and looked away. "You said she was the fist girl you ever had a crush on. Do you still have a crush on her?"

Hue felt his face go red.

"Yeah...No! I mean No!...No! I mean...I...I don't know, for a while I thought I did…But…"

"I suppose that reaction is fair." Aura sighed with a bit of a laugh. "After all, you still don't know who or where she is or what she's doing or even if she's still alive."

"Y-yeah…" Hue said with a nervous chuckle.

"But that wasn't the reason I had gotten flustered when you asked that question..."

Aura turned back to Hue, almost in shock.

"What do you mean?"

Hue thought back to the Surfing Contest, to the Wallace Cup, to the recent Water War, and how much fun each one of them was.

He remembered seeing Aura's smiling face after each one.

 _I think I might...I might actually have…_

Before Hue could open his mouth and explain, the entire building began to shake again.

The floor beneath both himself and Aura opened up, and the two of them fell.

They landed in a large circular room.

In the center of the circular room was a large pedestal, with nothing on it.

And standing very foot of that pedestal was…

The spitting image of Gordon Swanson.

"What the ever loving shit?" Hue ran up to what looked _exactly_ like his father.

"I knew you weren't really dead!"

"..." He didn't say anything back to Hue.

"Huey…" Aura tried to explain. "I don't think that's-"

The man who looked just like Hue's father silently held out a pokeball, with a note on it.

Hue read the note silently.

 _Hello Hue,_

 _If you're reading this, then the worst has happened. Despite my warnings of what was supposed to be a peaceful (albeit illegal) organization heading down the wrong path, Chandler has failed to listen. My doctors here in Hearthome say that my illness is terminal. I regret I won't be able to see you or your mother or sisters in my final moments. I've sent you our favorite pokemon, my prized Ditto, as a sort of inheritance. I hope it reaches you in time, before you're kidnapped by that tortured man. Maybe it can help you out. If not, I hope you manage to recover it anyway. Knowing you the way I do, you probably don't want to be a trainer, but if you survive what I know Chandler has in store for you, my bet is you'll change your mind. Please know son, that although I am responsible for the birth of this organization, my goal was a group of peaceful and intelligent people working on a way to research and extract pokemon DNA from willing subjects. Not the criminal syndicate that it has become by following its false namesake's footsteps. Please, take Akane (The aforementioned Ditto) with you, and at least find her a good home. I believe in you, kiddo._

 _-Love, Dad._

There was no mistaking his own father's handwriting.

Feeling the tears in his eyes, Hue grasped the pokeball tightly in his hand.

"Hello, Akane." He said.

Aura's eyes glinted.

"What did you just say?" She asked as she turned Hue around to face her piercing gaze.

Hue held out the note that was attached to the pokeball.

"O-oh…" Aura calmed down just as quickly as she had gotten riled up. "Sorry. I didn't realize-"

"Ditto." Akane said as it transformed back into Ditto form.

"This wasn't how I intended to receive my favorite pokemon…" Hue said aloud as he held the pokeball to his father's Ditto in his hand. "And to be honest, I don't know if what my father wrote in this letter is true...but I'm going to choose to believe him. This sounds more like the dad I knew growing up. Welcome to the team, Akane."

"Ditto!" Akane beamed as Hue returned it to the pokeball.

"That's weird though…" Hue mentioned to Aura. "My dad wouldn't nickname a Ditto something like that. Akane sounds more like something _you'd_ nickname a pokemon, Aura."

"Huey…" Aura said quite seriously. "I may not have ever met her but I know from what Phineas told me growing up...Akane is my mother's first name."

"That's odd." Hue said. "I don't think I ever remembered my dad mention anyone named Akane to me. He only ever talked about various pokemon, or...actually…"

"What?" Aura's eyes were taking on their piercing gaze.

"I do remember one day when I was like four, I saw both my mother and father crying for no reason, and they told me that it was the anniversary of the day that Izaya and Akane died."

"Those are my _**parents**_!" Aura shrieked with such volume that part of the ceiling collapsed and fell to the ground, giving both Aura and Hue a rather good look up to the room where they had first entered the ruined building, above them.

"What else do you know, Hue? Answer me!"

"I swear, that's it!" Hue replied.

Aura sighed. "That day...It haunted my brother as well." She said. "He always said that I was the true victim, but I knew it hurt him far more than me, who never knew my parents to begin with. After all, he saw it…"

"He saw them die?" Hue gulped.

"He saw them _jump_..." Aura replied as she began to cry.

"He saw them jump off of Pokemon Tower!" She sobbed as she fell to her knees.

"And do you know what _he_ did?"

Hue silently put his arms around Aura as she collapsed into his chest, still crying.

"He was going to jump too, the next day…" Aura continued as her tears intensified. "But then Child Support Services came and brought us to live with-"

"Koichi?" Hue asked.

Aura shook her head.

"Our aunt and uncle, and cousin." Aura replied. "But they didn't want us either, so they lied about taking care of us and kicked us out, and then Phineas he…he tried to _drown himself_."

Hue's grip on Aura tightened as her story continued.

Hearing all these awful things, he didn't want to ever let go of her.

What he did next was instinctual, and he didn't even realize that he had done it until after he had done it multiple times, but he began to kiss the top of Aura's forehead.

"I was four by this time." Aura continued. "It was likely the same day you saw your parents crying. I saw him floating in the small lake at the edge of the city. I quickly fished him out and brought him to a pokemon center, since I didn't know where else to go." Aura began to calm down a bit, and Hue, finally realizing what he was doing, stopped. "Thankfully..." Aura said as it became clear that she had gotten all the pent up stress out of her system, "There was a girl there about his age that kept the two of us company while he recovered. They both agreed that when they turned ten in a few years that they would go on a journey together, and Phineas began to value life again...and then when he _did_ turn 10..."

" _This_ happened." Hue nodded. "I'm so sorry to hear that, Aura… If I had known saying this Ditto's name would trigger this type of reaction from you, I would have kept my dumb mouth shut."

"It's alright." Aura said, looking up at Hue with her beautiful piercing dark green eyes. "I'm glad I told you." She gave a smirk. "Those forehead kisses were really nice."

Hue felt his face go red. "S-sorry! I don't know why I did that! It was just instinct, I swear!"

"It's alright." Aura said, leaning in towards Hue's face, and Hue could feel himself doing the same thing in her direction.

"A-Aura…"

"It's alright." Aura repeated, her voice getting softer the closer she got. "Instinct makes us...all do...crazy things... sometimes…"

"Ra-da-ding-ding-ding

Ra-da-ding-ding-ding

Ra-da-ding-ding-dinga-dinga-do."

Aura's pokedex interrupted the moment as its timer began to play the Route 1 music.

"Ra-da-ding-ding

Da-ding-ding-ding

Da-ding

Da-dinga-dinga-do."

"I can _hear_ her pokedex!" Diane's voice said from the hole that the collapsed ceiling had created.

"It's coming from that hole over there." Ethel's voice said.

Hue and Aura, upon realizing exactly how close they were to each other, instantly pushed the other one away.

"There you two are!" Diane poked her head into the hole. "How the hell did you get down there?"

Diane's question was met with a response of nervous laughter.

 _Great, now everything is incredibly awkward…_

*Cinnabar Pokemon Center*

"So you were the final blow the building took before its destruction." Ethel said as the four trainers sat down at a booth and began to eat a large lunch.

"Yeah." Hue confirmed. "But a pretty heavy contradiction came out of my memory…"

He turned so that he was addressing everyone.

"Subject 3 can't be both long dead, and alive at the same time, can they?"

"No." Ethel said. "That's an impossibility. That is also why Subject 3 is Chandler's greatest weakness. Because he himself does not know what to make of them."

"Ethel thinks that the best way to save her father from Chandler would be to have Subject 3 explain the situation to him." Diane said. "But…"

"It has to be in the form of a battle." Ethel said. "It's the only language my father truly understands. He's...strange...like that."

"There's only one way to battle the Champion." Aura's green eyes shot piercing glares everywhere. "And that's to win the Pokemon League, and defeat the Elite 4."

"Not this year." Ethel said. "This year, the Champion himself is fair game right away."

"Your dad sure sounds confident…" Hue said. "What prompted him to make a rule like that?"

"Because he believes that no one can defeat him." Ethel replied. "And for the most part, I'd say he's right. However, Chandler has some _very_ powerful weapons at his disposal. Subject 3 is necessary to be able to defeat Chandler because of those weapons."

"What about Subject 2?" Hue asked. "While I was remembering, I remembered that Chandler told me that Subject 2 would likely be the strongest out of all the Subjects."

"He _did_?" Aura's eyes widened.

"Subject 2 has a glaring weakness that Chandler knows all about." Ethel sighed. "And so far, she's fallen into every trap and setback that he's planned for her."

"He's setting traps for Subject 2 as well as Aura and me?" Hue asked.

Ethel nodded. "Which is why Subject 3, as elusive as they are, is our best hope right now."

"But I was told to not look into Subject 3's identity…" Hue said, remembering Surge's warning.

"Then that is what you should all do to help them." Ethel addressed everyone at the table.

"If you'll excuse me, I spent the time you were all looking around the mansion to obtain my seventh badge." She said as she stood up and walked to the door.

"I am now heading to Pallet Town."

She turned to Diane. "I'll remain there, awaiting your return."

"Alright, and thanks again for letting me help you for all this time!"

Ethel managed to pull a miracle and gave a full smile.

"It's been fun, Didi, Aura, Huey. Ciao."

With that statement, Ethel left.

"Well…" Hue said as he got up. "I guess since there is a gym, we should go challenge it, right Aura?"

"I get first go." Aura said, staring with her piercing eyes.

Anything you desire, o' wielder of daggers.

"Sure thing." Hue nodded.

"Oh wait, wait you guys wait!" Diane took out a tattered piece of paper.

Hue read it aloud.

"September 1st: Mewtwo is far too powerful. We have failed to curb its vicious tendencies. I can't even control it anymore."

"And on the other side…" Diane said. "Someone else wrote something really weird…"

"This writing is much newer than the other side's…" Aura observed.

Hue read the writing on this new side. Most of it was barely legible. Hue read what he could make out.

"That horri-..-ster too-...-hter away…but Mewtwo-...help...kill…...i failed...Save Her."

"This seems like pretty important stuff!" Hue raised his voice at Diane.

"Why didn't you show this when Ethel was here?"

Diane looked at Hue with a stalwart and unblinking face.

"Because...Ethel told me not to." She said quite seriously.

An eerie silence filled the Pokemon Center as Aura bit her nail and looked away.


	55. Rise of Riddles

Chapter 55:

Rise of Riddles

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Protect, Rapid Spin, Water Pulse, Skull Bash

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Fury Cutter

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Ace(Pidgeotto): Mud Slap, Roost, Twister, Wing Attack

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Akane(Ditto): Transform

"Are you sure?" Hue asked Diane as he and Aura bid farewell to her in front of the Cinnabar Island gym.

Diane nodded.

"I'm going to train on the Sevii Islands before I challenge this gym." She said. "But It's not like I won't see you guys again or anything. In fact, don't you still have those-"

"Shhhh!" Hue put a finger to his lips and tilted his head in Aura's direction.

She still didn't know that those tickets Diane was talking about even existed.

"Oooh!" Diane's eyes flickered with excitement. She turned to Aura, who was still acting... _strange_ to say the least.

"I think you're going to be very pleasantly surprised soon, Aura!"

"That's nice…." Aura mumbled.

As Hue and Aura waved goodbye to Diane as she boarded her boat, Hue sighed.

"Finally." He said. He turned to Aura.

"You're still thinking about your parents and brother, aren't you?"

"Mm." Aura nodded.

"Do you want to have a battle to take your mind off of it?"

Aura pointed to the gym.

"I want to challenge the gym leader here."

"Good luck with that…" Omar Murray appeared before both of them. "Master Blaine is extremely old, and doesn't often battle trainers anymore. He usually subjects them to…"

Omar's expression shifted as he recognized both Hue and Aura.

"I saw both of you at Vermillion, and the Water War too…"

"I recognize you as well." Hue said, putting out a hand. "My name is Hue Swanson."

"Omar." Omar shook Hue's hand. "Omar Murray." Something about the way Omar Murray talked reminded Hue of Ethel.

"Aura Jones." Aura gave a bow akin to the bows that Davon Le Rouge greeted people with.

"I hope you don't take this the wrong way Omar, but why did you choose to talk to us?"

Omar pointed to a poster.

"Cinnabar is hosting a tournament soon. If you really want battles, the prizes are the same as they ever were."

"A battle with the gym leader and an SS Ticket?" Hue asked, confused. "But don't the SS Tickets not work anymore considering-"

"Which is why the second prize…" Omar again pointed at the poster. "Is a pokemon egg."

"That tournament still isn't happening for a while…" Aura said. "I want a battle today.'

"Well, if you _do_ want to attempt to battle Master Blaine, I won't stop you." Omar said. "But if he does decide to show himself to you, don't say that I didn't warn you about what he looks like."

"Well...thanks for the advice and warnings." Hue said, feeling incredibly awkward about that whole conversation.

"Of course." Omar said without shifting his apathetic expression at all. "I guess I'll see you two later."

Hue fought the urge to say 'Ciao' as Omar left the area.

"Alright...let's go inside." He suggested to Aura, who nodded.

"I could really use a gym battle." She said.

She went to open the door-

And it was locked.

"I don't see how a door like this can lock without a key…" Aura said, investigating the doorknob, looking for a suspiciously absent keyhole.

A very heavy voice echoed from behind the door. The person it belonged to sounded like they were having trouble breathing.

"I'm easy to get into, but hard to get out of. What am I?" The voice asked.

"A riddle…" Hue identified the riddle as a riddle. "I guess answering correctly will open the door of the gym?"

"I know this one." Aura said as she approached the door. "The answer is: Trouble. It's easy to find when you go looking for it, but once you do find it, you're usually too deep in it to get out of it as easily as you got into it."

Instantly the door swung open.

"Well done." The voice said. "You have been accepted as a challenger. You may enter the gym."

"Great job, Aura." Hue smiled at her.

Aura gave a weak smile back before she entered the gym and Hue began to follow suit when the door instantly shut again between them.

"You must answer your own riddles to prove your worth." The voice said to Hue. "Riding off the success of others is forbidden in this gym."

"Alright." Hue nodded. "Give me a riddle then."

"What demands an answer, yet asks no questions?"

Hue thought about it for a while.

"It's a phone right?" He asked. "A phone doesn't ask any questions, but when it rings you're still expected to answer it."

"Excellent." The voice replied. "You too, have been accepted as a challenger. You may enter the gym."

Hue entered the gym to find Aura waiting for him in a room full of what looked like computers designed to ask quiz questions.

"Ah yes…" The disembodied voice said. "We scrapped that layout after the volcanic eruption when we had to relocate to Seafoam temporarily. Now we ask a multitude of riddles to challengers instead. They're much more fun to come up with than boring factual questions."

"Why haven't you moved on ahead?" Hue asked Aura, ignoring the voice.

"I was waiting for you." Aura replied. "I didn't think the door would shut on you so-"

"Hey!" Hue shouted up towards the ceiling. "Do you think that maybe you can ask us both riddles at the same time and then open the doors when we both get our riddles right? We're sort of travelling together so-."

"I will allow it." The voice replied. "However, if either of you is caught helping the other with a riddle, you will both be forfeit and sent back to the start of the building."

"Alright, then give us our next riddles." Aura said upon trying the door forward and realizing it was locked in a similar fashion.

"Two in the corner, one in the room, none in the house, but one in the shelter, what am I?'

"I…." Hue began.

"Aura." The voice said. "This is your riddle."

"Nevermind then." Hue gave a sigh of relief.

"Don't sound so relieved that I have to answer the riddle!" Aura huffed.

Hue gave a nervous laugh as Aura began to think. "One in the room….None in the house…one in the shelter...two in the corner…."

"Perhaps you would like the riddle rep-" The voice began to suggest before Aura quickly shifted in mood and excitedly proclaimed

"R! It's the letter 'R'!"

"Well done." The voice chuckled.

"Hue." It said. "Now we have your riddle."

"Bring it." Hue adjusted his glasses with a confident grin.

If there was ever a gym that he and Aura could solve the puzzles of, it was this one.

"Glittering points that downward thrust, sparkling spears that never rest. What are they?"

"Having just been to a place with a whole bunch of these, I can say with certainty that the answer is 'Icicles'." Hue grinned.

"Perhaps that one was too easy." The voice lamented as the door to the next room swung open.

"How many more rooms like this are there?" Hue asked as he and Aura entered a room that looked identical to the one they were just in, save for being a tad more well lit than the previous one.

"Allow me to answer that with a riddle for _you_ , Hue." The voice said. "How many oranges grow on a tree?"

Hue scratched his head. "Umm... _all_ of them?"

The voice sighed. "Despite your clearly obvious guess, that was the correct answer. Let's move on to Aura's riddle."

"I'm ready." Aura said, starting to actually get pumped.

 _It seems she really likes riddles._

"Nobody wants me, yet nobody wants to lose me. What am I?" The voice asked.

Aura grinned. "The answer is a lawsuit. Nobody wants to be sued, but nobody wants to lose a suit either."

"Correct again." Even the disembodied voice seemed to be having fun. "You may both enter the next room." It said as the door swung open.

Again, the room looked nearly identical to the other two, save for the light getting continuously brighter.

"Aura." The voice said. "This riddle is for _you_." It paused before it told the riddle. "The more you take, the more you leave behind. What are they?"

"The more I take, the more I leave behind…" Aura repeated as she began to pace around the room.

"The more I take, the more I leave behind…" She was tracking dirt all over the place.

It took every ounce of willpower that Hue had to not point out the answer that she was creating as she spoke.

"Oh!" She said as she finally realized the answer. "Footsteps! Footsteps!"

"Excellent." The voice said. "Now for Hue…"

It was strange, but Hue could feel the voice getting more somber in tone as it gave this riddle, almost like it was personally trying to talk to him.

"I last forever and you might have too much or too little of me. Either way, you will run out of me eventually. What am I?"

Hue felt a sharp pain in his stomach. He quickly looked down the collar of his shirt to see that his large circular bruise had gotten quite green recently. As he noticed it, his head began to throb.

He knew what the answer to this riddle was.

"T-time…" Hue answered. "Eventually...I'll run out of time…"

"Huey?" Aura asked. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine…" Hue replied. He looked up at the ceiling. "Was that correct?"

"Yes." The voice replied. "That was indeed correct. The two of you can head into the next room."

This next room actually looked different than the three before it. Instead of having quiz machines all around it, it had statues of various Fire type pokemon.

"Hue." The voice said. "I'm measured in temperature and time but have neither. What am I?

"Latitude and Longitude." Hue replied. " Though I might not have always been keen on training pokemon, I _have_ always enjoyed the idea of travelling and exploring so that one was a no brainer for me."

"And, as always, you are correct." The voice said. "And now, for Aura."

"I'm ready." Aura nodded.

"Good." The voice chuckled. "I can be cracked, I can be made, I can be told, I can be played. What am I?"

"Oooh!" Aura beamed. "A joke! A joke!"

"Once again, you have answered correctly."

The door to the next room swung open.

"After this next room, there will only be one more waiting before you reach me." The disembodied voice said. "As such, I would like to introduce myself to the two of you at this time. My name is Blaine, among other things, I am a Gym Leader and a scientist. In case you haven't figured it out by now, I specialize in Fire type pokemon."

"Yeah…" Hue said as he and Aura entered the next room to see a large Charizard statue lighting the area with the flame on its tail acting as a torch.

"We managed to work that much out."

"Now Aura…" The voice continued. "What loses a head in the morning, but gets it back at night?"

"Hmmmm…." This appeared to be another riddle that Aura wanted to think about for a moment.

"Something that loses a head in the morning...but gets it back at night….loses a head in the morning...gets it back at night…"

She snapped her fingers.

"A pillow!" She pointed at the door.

"Correct." Blaine's proud yet heavy voice echoed. "Now for Hue…"

"I'm ready." Hue said.

"You use a knife to slice my head, yet weep beside me once I've bled. What am I?"

Hue and Aura grinned at each other. Hue turned up towards the ceiling.

"That's an easy one when you've travelled with a chef." Hue answered. "The answer is: An onion."

"And once again you are both correct." Blaine's voice echoed. "You may enter the last room before where I reside."

Hue and Aura entered the last room to find…

The gym's battlefield. A robotic referee was already waiting in the designated space, holding both a green and red flag. The battlefield itself was nothing special, but if a pokemon were to fall off, they would risk falling into the magma below.

"This can't possibly be safe, nor can it be legal…" Hue said, shocked.

"You'd be surprised." Blaine's voice replied. "Now, allow me to explain how this room's riddles are different."

"Different?" Aura asked.

"When you open the final door here.." Blaine explained. "I will leave my chambers and enter the battlefield to meet you, at which point I shall battle both of you in sequence. Each match will be a 2v2 match playing by Pokemon League rules. As such, returning a pokemon that can still fight will disqualify that pokemon from the competition."

"Alright." Aura nodded.

"Understood." Hue also nodded.

"Then let's get this started with a riddle for Hue." Blaine said. "After a fall, i will take over. All life will stall, or at least get slower. What am I?"

Once again, Hue had his Articuno experience to thank for the easy answer to this riddle.

"I'm going to say Winter." Hue said. "It comes after fall, and trees go dormant, animals hibernate, and is the season most often associated with death."

"Correct." Blaine said as a light on the final door lit up. "Aura...are you ready to answer the riddle that will open my door and allow me to walk out?"

"Remember what Omar said." Hue reminded Aura. "That Blaine might not look like what we expect him to."

"Yeah, yeah, I remember…" Aura sighed. "I just want to get to my battle...so…" She turned towards the door. "Give me the riddle Blaine."

"Very well." Blaine said. "It's been around for millions of years, but it's no more than a month old. What is it?"

"It's...the Moon." Aura said after reflecting on it briefly. "The moon has been around for millions of years, but it begins a new lunar cycle at least once every month."

"Very good." Blaine said as the second light on the door lit up, and the metal door opened from the center.

A very short man with a short white mustache and a very long and full white beard that dragged across the floor walked out. He was wearing dark sunglasses and a suit that looked like someone would wear if they manned a carnival stall, all while carrying a cane that must have at one point been his size, but was by now far too big for him to use properly.

 _Just how old is this man?_

"I'm sorry you both have to lay your eyes upon me." Blaine sighed. "When I was a younger man, I did some...very bad things in the pursuit of science. This all happened long before either of you were born, so I'll keep my explanation brief. Due to my proximity to a certain pokemon while I researched the science of cloning, my lifespan has increased exponentially. I still age, but my doctors say that my death, should I stay healthy as I can, will come in two decades at the very earliest."

"We're...sorry to hear that…" Aura said.

"Don't be." Blaine shook his head as he hobbled over to the Gym leader's designated spot on the battlefield. "Now, which one of you wishes to go first?"

"Me." Aura stepped up.

Hue nodded. "We decided that she got to go first this time." He said.

"Alright." Blaine nodded.

He turned to Aura.

"You should know, that I also give riddles during the battles. If at any point you solve the riddle during the battle, you can shout it out, and immediately win. I highly recommend this tactic if you believe you will lose the battle otherwise."

"Don't worry." Aura grinned. "I won't lose."

"Then allow me to give you the riddle before we start." Blaine said as he tossed a pokeball in his hand.

"One of us breaks but never falls, the other falls but never breaks. What are we?"

Aura didn't answer the riddle.

She instead took out a pokeball of her own.

"So can we start the battle or what?" She asked.

AURA VS BLAINE

"The battle between Aura, the challenger, and Blaine, the leader, will now begin!" The robotic ref said. "The match will be a 2 on 2 standard match with Indigo Pokemon League Tournament rules! The match will be over when both of one side's pokemon are unable to battle! Trainers, are you ready?"

"Yes!" Both Aura and Blaine shouted at the same time.

"Send out your pokemon!" The ref yelled. "Battle, Start!"

"Ponyta!" Blaine yelled as he sent out his Ponyta.

"Kodu!" Aura called as she sent out her Golduck.

 _She's using that one a lot lately…_ Hue thought to himself as he watched patiently from by the entrance.

Hue held his pokedex up to the Ponyta.

"[Ponyta]." Dean identified it. "The [Fire Horse] Pokemon. Its mane is made of intense flames. Its hooves are 10 times harder than diamonds. It can trample anything completely flat in little time."

"Be careful with that thing, Aura!" Hue called.

"Don't worry, Huey!" Aura winked. "I have a _plan_ in motion."

She turned back to face Blaine and Ponyta.

"Kodu, use Aqua Jet!"

"Counter it with Flame Charge, Ponyta!" Blaine called out.

Both pokemon cloaked themselves in water and flames respectively as they ran into each other, creating a large cloud of steam.

"Now, Kodu!" Aura said, excitedly. "Use Screech!"

"Gooooooooolllllll!" Kodu screeched into the steam, clearing it up to reveal a shivering Ponyta.

"Now, Aqua Tail!" Aura continued to call excitedly.

"Ponyta!" Blaine yelled. "Sunny Day now! Then use Agility to avoid it!"

"Ponytaaaa…" Blaine's Ponyta called as sun began to beat down through the skylight in the room and it quickly dodged out of the way of Kodu's Aqua Tail.

"Impressive…" Aura smirked. "But not impressive enough! Kodu, it's backed itself into a corner! Use Aqua Jet!"

"In sunny weather?" Hue asked in disbelief.

"I told you it's fine." Aura smiled back at Hue and Kodu rammed into Ponyta.

"Golduck!" She shouted.

"Taaa!" The Ponyta skidded to the edge of the battlefield.

"I see…" Blaine said as he tipped his hat. "Your Golduck's special ability is Cloud Nine…"

"Which negates all weather effects for as long as Kodu is in battle." Aura smirked.

"Then allow me to put an end to your pest of a Golduck!" Blaine pointed. "Ponyta, use Stomp!"

 _But those hooves!_

"Kodu!" Aura called out excitedly. "When it rears up to stomp, use Aqua Jet!"

 _Does she have a death wi-?_

Hue watched on in awe as Kodu managed to do exactly what Aura ordered her to. While Blaine's Ponyta was rearing up to stomp down on Kodu, Kodu cloaked herself in water and rammed into the Ponyta's stomach before it could do anything!

"I see you've also learned your fill about move priority as well, Aura." Blaine nodded approvingly.

"Yes." Aura smirked. "In situations like these, Aqua Jet will always strike first."

"Ponyta is unable to battle!" The ref called out. "The winner is Golduck!"

"Very well…" Blaine gave a similar smirk. "In that case…"

He threw out his second pokemon.

"Daaaaassshhh!" The Rapidash whinnied.

"Rapidash!" Blaine called out.

Hue took out his pokedex and scanned the larger fire horse pokemon.

"[Rapidash]." Dean stated. "The [Fire Horse] Pokemon. Very competitive. This pokemon will chase anything that moves fast in the hopes of racing it."

"Now Rapidash!" Blaine cried out. "Flare Blitz!"

"Daaaaasshhh!" Rapidash whinnied as it charged down Kodu.

"Kodu, use Soak!" Aura called out.

"Golduck…" Kodu shot a large amount of water at the Rapidash before the Fire Horse pokemon hit the Duck pokemon with a powerful Flare Blitz, causing Kodu to skid back a great distance, clearly bruised and scarred.

Whatever Kodu had done to the Rapidash, it seemed not to bother the beast.

"That's enough Kodu." Aura smiled sweetly as she returned her pokemon.

Hue's jaw dropped.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

Aura looked back at Hue and winked. "All according to the plan." She said. "I might like to act silly from time to time, but I don't think I'd be boasting if I said I wasn't one of the most strategic trainers out there."

"Aura!" The ref said. "Send out your next pokemon or be disqualified."

"Right, right." Aura nodded as she sent out…

 _The heck is she doing?_

"Fushi!" Aura yelled as she sent out her Ivysaur.

"Saurrrr…" Fushi stretched himself.

Hue's eyes then widened as he noticed the bud on Fushi's back reacting to the harsh sunlight pouring into the room. He could smell the sweet aroma wafting from the plant.

 _Doesn't that mean that Fushi's going to-?_

That didn't seem to be Aura's concern though.

"Fushi!" She yelled. "Use Razor Leaf!"

"Why are you using a Grass attack?" Hue asked in disbelief at such a rookie mistake.

"Dash!" Rapidash took the razor leaves, but instantly fell to the floor in pain.

"Rapidash!" Blaine shouted. "Can you still battle?"

"Dash.." The Rapidash gave a slow nod as it struggled to get up.

"That's Soak for you." Aura smiled sweetly. "Kodu has changed Rapidash's type to pure Water for the rest of the battle!"

"And with Kodu gone, Cloud Nine loses its effect…" Blaine realized what was going on.

"And the effects of the Sunny Weather can be reaped quite easily by Fushi here!" Aura grinned as she looked on with her piercing green eyes.

"Allow me to show you what we mean."

Her eyes flickered beautifully in the sunlight.

"Fushi, Solar Beam."

"Ivy-saur!" Fushi instantly let out a large blast of solar energy from the bud on his back, during which, he himself was enveloped in bright light.

"Ah!" Aura seemed genuinely surprised as Fushi grew in size while enveloped in the light before the light disappeared.

"Venusaur!" Fushi called out as he stopped firing his Solar Beam to reveal an unconscious Rapidash.

"Rapidash is unable to battle!" The ref called out. "Venusaur is the winner, which means that victory goes to Aura and Fushi!"

"Well done Aura." Blaine smiled as he held out a Volcano Badge. "You defeated me and earned your seventh badge. You now only need one more before you qualify to enter the pokemon league tournament."

"Thank you very much." Aura chimed as she took her seventh badge.

"Look Huey! Number Seven!"

"Great job!" Hue called back.

"By the way…" Aura turned back to Blaine. "The answer to your riddle from earlier is Day and Night. The Daybreak and Nightfall are both terms used describe their arrival, but Day never falls and Night never breaks."

"Well, color me impressed." Blaine smiled at Aura. "You knew the answer the whole time but still decided to battle anyway. You've got the mark of a true trainer in you."

Hue smiled as he saw Aura blush from embarrassment.

Blaine then turned to Hue.

"Now Hue. I suppose you want your own battle."

Hue nodded.

 _I just need to defeat Blaine and then...I'll only need one more badge!_

"Give me the riddle, and then send out your pokemon." Hue said as he readied Douglas's pokeball.

Almost immediately when Blaine opened his mouth, Dean began to vibrate in Hue's pocket, and began to play the Pursuit-Lying Coldly theme music from Ace Attorney Investigations.

"That's the ringtone I set for my boss Carmen…" Hue explained. "I really need to take this call…I think our gym battle will have to wait."

"Why does the gym battle have to wait?" Blaine asked.

"Because Detective Carmen Yiddle wouldn't even do so much as send a text to me normally." Hue said seriously.

"I bet I can predict what she's going to say before she even says it." Aura said, realizing the situation.

"Hello?" Hue asked into Dean.

The words Carmen said matched up with Aura's perfectly.

"Swanson, whatever you're doing right now, stop and come meet me at the Cinnabar Pokemon Center ASAP! There's been a murder and you have been asked for specifically!"

Blaine's expression shifted.

"I heard that!" He said. "Come follow me. I'll lead you down a shortcut to the pokemon center so you don't have to backtrack through the building!"

"May I ask why I've been asked for?" Hue asked.

"You were recommended by a friend of our current main suspect." Carmen replied.

"And who is this main suspect that requested I be allowed onto this case?"

"I'm not sure how well you might know him." Carmen said. "But it's that boy that hangs around Monica Wright, that Top Coordinator from Hoenn. His name is Terrence Lovelace."

"Oh, him." Hue said, remembering his recent Water War battle with Terrence.

 _Judging from what I've seen, I don't think Terrence would ever kill anyone or order anyone to be killed…_

"So what makes you think Terrence is behind it?"

"The victim's cause of death." Carmen replied. "They were clearly killed by a Kabutops, which can't be found in the wild, and Terrence is the only trainer in this area within the past month to own one."

Hue gulped.

If that wasn't damning evidence, he didn't know what was.


	56. The Prehistoric Murder

Chapter 56:

The Prehistoric Murder:

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Protect, Rapid Spin, Water Pulse, Skull Bash

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Fury Cutter

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Ace(Pidgeotto): Mud Slap, Roost, Twister, Wing Attack

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Akane(Ditto): Transform

"[Kabutops]" Dean said as Hue held his pokedex up to Terrence's Kabutops in the Cinnabar Pokemon Center. "The [Shellfish] Pokemon. Its sleek frame is perfect for swimming. It slashes prey with its claws and drains the body fluids."

"And the cause of death for the victim…" Carmen said as she handed Hue an autopsy report of someone he had never seen before. "Was sharp force trauma all around the stomach and waist area of the body. Furthermore, it appears that the victim's blood has been sucked out of their body post mortem."

As he was handed the paper his eyes widened.

"Identity unknown?" He asked.

Carmen gave a nod as she gritted her teeth.

"No one knows who this woman is." She sighed. "I've called up everyone who would know describing the person, but she seems to have no relatives or friends to identify her for us. Her fingerprints also don't match any of the ones that the police already have in custody, and it was a hassle to get my hands on even a few what with the department in a frenzy over the death of Da- I mean the Chief of Police…"

"I see…" Hue nodded quietly. He didn't want to bring up anything that happened at Fuchsia City that day to anyone ever.

Monica Wright ran up to Hue and Aura.

"Oh thank Arceus the two of you are here!" She said, a little overdramatically, even for the situation at hand. "You _can_ clear Terrence's name, can't you? Can't you? Please tell me this won't be a hard case for you!"

"As long as he's innocent, I think we can manage." Aura assured Monica.

"Really?!" Monica's eyes brightened up. "Oh, that dark skinned boy was right to suggest you if that's the case! Don't let me down!"

 _Donovan…_ Hue thought to himself. _I appreciate the work, but would like a warning next time at least._

"All joking aside…" Hue said to Aura as they sat at a table at the pokemon center. "This will probably be a pretty hard case to crack."

"Why is that?" Aura asked with a bit of a yawn, probably tired from her gym battle and answering all those riddles.

"Well…" Hue explained. "We have a few strange things about this particular murder to pay attention to."

He pointed to the cause of death. "The first being the cause of death resembling the exact method a Kabutops goes through while devouring its prey. This can mean one of three things."

Aura rested her head in her hands and motioned for Hue to continue.

"One." Hue continued. "A trainer with a Kabutops committed the murder."

"Two." Aura contributed. "Someone killed the victim specifically trying to make it look like the murderer was a Kabutops."

"And Three." Hue finished up. "The victim was killed by a _wild_ Kabutops."

"Considering what Carmen's told us…" Aura began. "It seems like we can eliminate option 1 if Terrence isn't guilty."

"Hrm…" Hue stroked his chin and adjusted his glasses as he thought.

"I guess so, but…"

"What, you aren't sure?"

"I'm just a little concerned that we don't have enough information to fully get rid of any possibilities yet."

"The autopsy report says that the body was found along the southern coast of Cinnabar, on the beach." Aura observed. "That help you at all?"

"Not much…" Hue sighed. This was a challenging case. There wasn't enough evidence pointing towards someone or something else being behind this murder.

"Wait a minute!" Aura stood up as she continued to read the autopsy report. "Hue, look at this! Look at this!"

She pointed excitedly to the victim's estimated time of death.

Hue's eyes lit up so brightly his glasses started to fog a bit.

"Heh." He gave a bit of a laugh. "I think we better give the southern coast of Cinnabar a thorough investigation."

"Mmhmm." Aura nodded in agreement with one of her sly smiles.

As the two of them left the pokemon center, Terrence walked up to them. "Thank you two." He said, almost as though he thought he was going to be found guilty. "Thank you for trying."

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Aura put her hand out in a 'stop' gesture. "We aren't _trying_ to do anything. We're only solving this mystery."

"Hm?" Monica tilted her head. "You mean you aren't going to clear Terrence?"

"No, we are." Hue assured Monica. "But Aura's correct. That isn't our objective. We aren't trying to clear Terrence's name. We're simply solving the mystery of who, how, why, and when the victim was murdered, and then giving all that information to my boss."

"Oh…" Monica seemed to click her tongue.

Then, after a strange silence…

"So, how well does it pay?"

"Excuse me?" Hue laughed.

"Your job, how well does it pay?" Monica repeated.

"Not as well as you might think." Hue replied. "About 8,000 pokeyen on average for each investigation."

"That's still pretty good if you get assigned a lot of cases." Aura shrugged. "But generally, we don't get called on that much, and even then, a few of our cases have ended in situations where we didn't earn payment…"

She looked at Hue and then looked back at Monica.

"But we don't like to talk about those."

"Oh, so what are you, like, his assistant in these or something?" Terrence asked.

"Technically, no." Hue rubbed the back of his neck. "She isn't paid like I am, and it's all rather unofficial with her, but since we travel together and she's eager to help, my boss and all of her superiors allow it."

"Ooh! I remember when you first met Carmen and she was so upset that you were bringing me along for those things!" Aura said with a giggle.

 _There was nothing funny about that. Lavender Town is even less funny now that you've told me what happened there all those years ago. You aren't always this peppy to cope with that, are you Aura?_

"Huey…" Aura waved her hand in Hue's face. "We gonna go check out the southern shore or what? Come on! Beach Day!"

Hue, coming back to reality, gave a sigh as he smiled. "Alright, alright. Let's get going."

"Hey, be sure you actually solve this one!" Monica called after the two of them. "Because if you get Terrence arrested, I'll never forgive either of you!"

Krabby scurried along the sands of the beach. In the amazingly clear water, Hue could see Shellder and Staryu sitting on the ocean floor. Magikarp and Tentacool swam through the water.

"See anything in particular yet?" Aura asked.

Hue gave a sigh.

 _Deus_

He thought to himself.

 _I know it'll hurt me but, I could really use those fast eyes…_

"Coming up." Hue heard Deus say in his head as his eyes began to move around quickly taking in every bit of data that they so happened to glance at.

"There!" Hue pointed to a small pile of seaweed, likely washed ashore by the waves.

Aura squinted her eyes.

"The seaweed?" She asked.

Hue continued to point. "No, no, _in_ the seaweed! Look!"

He ran up to the seaweed (a little faster than he expected due to Deus's influence).

"This!" He said as he picked up a message in a bottle.

"No way!" Aura ran up. "A real life message in a bottle? I want to read it! I want to read it!"

"Let's see…" Hue said as he uncorked the bottle and took out the piece of paper.

His eyes froze.

"Are you sure you want to read it?" He asked Aura in a slow, calm voice.

"Yes?" Aura asked as she took the piece of paper of his hands and began to read aloud.

"There's something scribbled here at the the top…" She said.

"F-for….Ar- for….O...oh…" She put her hand to her mouth. "Oh no." She said.

Hue gave a nod.

"Would you rather I read it now?"

Aura silently handed Hue the piece of paper back.

Hue then read off, word for word, what the paper said.

" _For Aura_

 _Hey, little sister! If you're reading this, two terrible things must have happened. If you're reading this, then (1) I am long dead, and (2) against my advice to move on and leave it all behind you, against my advice on pursuing what makes you happy, you're still investigating this damned Cinnabar Kidnapping incident. Listen to me now, Aura. I want you to stop. Please. Go to whatever home you now have and stop. I don't know how far you've actually gotten. I don't know if any of the other Subjects are with you, or even still alive for that matter, all I know is that you can't go down this path. You're better than that. I told a friend of mine that if they ever saw you snooping around in Cinnabar to distract you. Distract you and anyone with you for as long as they needed to. Possibly even past the League Tournament if that is how you've decided to mask your search for that man. Of course, now you know that its a distraction, you're free to leave. You've always marched to the beat of your own drummer, and I am still placing my trust in you, against my better judgement. Buried near the steps back up to the main city is another bottle with notes I've for the other subjects. Please, allow them to read their notes privately, and do not look at them nor ask the other subjects what was written on the notes._

 _Knowing my friend, you probably found this thinking it was a clue to a different type of mystery, so I apologize in advance if this shocked you by coming out of nowhere._

 _If got one last request, Aura. You might even considering it my dying wish…_

 _You wouldn't be you if you didn't have Karakara with you right now._

 _You and that pokemon are linked more closely than you realize. As such, I want Karakara to evolve. She's at a level or power that is far passed her species's average evolution level. I want you to figure out what you and Karakara both need to do for her to evolve. I have a feeling that once you can manage that, you won't feel like trying to bring Chandler to justice, and you'll be able to live the happy life I wanted for you._

 _Love, PJ_ "

Aura sat down on the sand.

"You okay?" Hue asked as he slowly reached out a hand.

"What are you waiting for?" Aura said as she turned her head away from him and pointed towards a small mound of sand near the steps back up to the main city.

"There's a note waiting for you over there! Read it already!"

"Aura…" Hue began.

"Leave me alone for a while, Huey." Aura sighed.

"A-'

" _Alone!"_ She shrieked as she stood up and ran off into the city, towards the pokemon center.

"Boy, you sure screwed that up." Deus said in Hue's head.

"Shut up, Mind-me." Hue grumbled as he dug up another set of bottles.

There were three bottles, labelled for each subject other than Phineas.

One was labelled '2'.

One was labelled '3'.

One was labelled '4'.

Bottles '2' and '4' still had letters inside them.

Bottle '3' had already been opened and the letter was missing.

Hue took bottle '4' and took out the letter inside it.

 _Hello, Hubert Swanson!_

 _Surprised I know your name? Well, let's just say that I'm pretty good at gathering intelligence. Sorry I couldn't meet up with you and Subject 2 after the building began to break down (Which, be honest with me, you were that large blast right?). I don't know if you'll ever see this message or not, but if you do, be sure that a girl that calls herself 'Aura Jones' is nowhere near you when you read it. That's the name of my little sister, and she...well...She'll probably do what I'm going to do and start investigating...hunting...but if my hunch is right, if she finds out the truth it will only lead to heartbreak. If you're travelling with her, then please accept my thanks. We were constantly on the move so aside from her cousin of roughly the same age, she hasn't made any real friends. I'm glad you're there for her if you are. In any case, I want to tell you some information that's very_ _ **very**_ _**important**_ _. 'Jones' is a name that I made up to help hide our identities after the kidnapping incident. If she's told you the story of our parents, you'd know that their names are a little too...culturally different for a last name with such a Unovan sounding origin. In fact, our real surname is Muranaka, but that's a_ _ **secret**_ **,** _got it? No telling_ _ **anyone**_ _, not even Aura. She probably doesn't remember that that's her real last name. Legally, our first names are different too...but...well...You should already know Aura's real first name. If not, maybe you can ask her aunt and cousin about if you run across them._

 _Finally, let me give you a quick lesson on Mega Evolution, not that you have the necessary items for it, but I'll give you the lesson all the same._

 _A pokemon and its human trainer, holding a mega stone of that pokemon's species and a keystone respectively. If the pair is linked by a strong bond, the pokemon holding the mega stone may mega evolve._

 _If you don't know what a keystone looks like, you can tell one apart from regular marbles by looking for the double helix pattern that looks a lot like DNA._

 _That's all you need to know, Hubert Swanson. Ciao._

 _Best Regards,_

 _The older brother of Muranaka 'Aura', Muranaka Junzo (remember, don't tell_ _ **anyone!**_ _)_

 _P.S.: You'd have saved a lot of time if you had asked to examine the body first. It's a pretty standard model._

"You have got to be kidding me…" Hue said under his breath as he finished reading the letter.

He hurried back to the pokemon center.

"Yiddle!" He yelled as he ran into the lobby.

"Ah, Arceus, Swanson!" Carmen said as she held her ears.

"You practicing how to be a Loudred or something?"

"Oh, I'm going to go full Exploud on you if you don't tell me right now why you set up a fake murder."

"A _what_?" Monica asked in shock, prompting Carmen to ditch the act completely.

"Oh don't act like you weren't in on it!" She put her hands in the air.

She turned to Hue.

"Swanson, what made you think that your friend Donovan would just casually recommend you to people as someone who will help them when they're charged with murder? You aren't a defense lawyer, you're a detective. All you do is try to piece together a crime. One day there will be a time when your 'client' is guilty and you won't be able to do anything about it."

Hue stayed silent.

Carmen was right after all…

It wasn't his job to prove people innocent. His job was exactly the opposite. He researched crimes like a midterm paper and then pointed his finger at whatever came out of the research.

Was that why Aura was so eager to help with these missions?

 _Or...whatever her real first name is?_

Hue stroked his forehead.

"Did Aura come through here?" He asked.

"She's in the room at the end of the hall." Carmen nodded.

"And she said to tell you to make sure to knock before going in."

Hue knocked on the door. "Aura?"

Hue heard a knock coming back. "Huey?"

"I read the note Aura." Hue replied. "I'm not allowed to disclose any information on it, but...I'm sure your brother would be proud of you if he could see you right now. From what he wrote I could tell he loves you a lot."

Aura creaked the door open a slight bit as stuck her face up to the crack.

"If I let you in, do you promise to not get mad at me, no matter what you see?"

"I promise." Hue sighed with a smile. "Now come on, let me in so we can cheer ourselves up by playing 20 questions or something."

Upon entering the room, Hue instantly wished he hadn't promised to not get mad.

Everything was demolished, with Karakara, still only a shiny dark green Cubone, sitting in the center of the pigsty, giving a guilty look.

"I don't think that's going to work in terms of getting her to evolve." Hue said with a sigh.

"And we know that now." Aura rolled her eyes.

"More importantly, what are we gonna do?" She pointed to a clock. "It's way too late to challenge Blaine again! By the time we answer enough riddles it'll be dark out!"

"Well…" Hue said as he looked out towards the pokemon center lobby.

The poster for the Cinnabar Tournament was still there.

It was being held the next day.

"I think I _may_ have a solution…"

*Next Day*

"So? Who are you using?" Aura asked Hue with piercing eyes.

"Because you really need to think long and-"

"I'm using Akane." Hue said as he held up his Ditto's pokeball.

"I'll finally get to use my favorite pokemon in battle!"

"And because it's a Ditto…" Aura theorized, "You have some pretty versatile options when it comes to your battle strategy."

"And they'll only grow the more Akane sees." Hue nodded.

"Contestants!" The announcer called through the various speakers spread all over the town.

"Look at the nearest monitor to view your opponent!"

Hue ran up to the nearest monitor.

There was no Davon, no Ethel, no Aura, and he was pretty sure that Omar Murray was also not participating.

 _This means I shouldn't have anyone to fear…_

Before Hue could get to a monitor, he heard his contestant number being called to the stadium so that his match could start.

"First match again, hunh?" Aura asked with a smile.

"Guess so…" Hue said as the two of them parted ways and Aura went to sit with the audience while Hue walked into the arena.

"And his opponent!" The announcer announced as Hue walked in. "Hubert Swanson, of Fuchsia City!"

Sunlight was shining down rather intensely and Hue couldn't quite make out who he was battling against.

"Trainers, send out your pokemon!"

"Go, Akane!" Hue yelled as he sent out his Ditto.

"Go!" An eerily familiar voice called. "Charmeleon!"

"What the-?" Hue gasped as he finally was able to make out the face of his opponent.

" _Freddie_?"

"Hahaha…" Freddie laughed with a grin. "Hey Hue!"

He looked up into the audience. "Hey Aura, I know you're there!"

He then looked back to Hue.

"It looks like this match is going to be Freddie's Charmeleon VS Hue's Ditto!" The ref said. "Battle... Start!"

"Finally…" Freddie said with an excited grin as he pointed at Hue.

"I can't tell you how long I've waited for this!"


	57. Lucky Seven!

Chapter 57:

Lucky Seven!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Protect, Rapid Spin, Water Pulse, Skull Bash

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Fury Cutter

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Ace(Pidgeotto): Mud Slap, Roost, Twister, Wing Attack

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Akane(Ditto): Transform

"Battle Start!" The ref yelled as the sun beat down on the dusty battlefield.

"Akane, Transform!" Hue called out.

"Ditto!" Akane blurbled as dirt and dust began to swirl around it as it changed shape to become an exact copy of Freddie's Charmeleon.

"Charmeleon!" Freddie yelled. "Use Flamethrower!"

"Dodge it, Akane!" Hue shouted as Akane barely dodged a powerful Flamethrower attack from Freddie's Charmeleon's mouth.

Hue looked down at his pokedex. He needed to know what Freddie's Charmeleon knew if he was going to have any luck in this battle.

"Alright…" He mumbled to himself as he looked over the moves. "Akane, use Slash!"

"Ditto…" Akane hissed as it lunged toward Freddie's Charmeleon.

"Charmeleon!" Freddie called out. "Counter it with Dragon Tail!"

"Ditt-toooo" Akane yelled as it charged towards Charmeleon.

"Melllll...eon!" Charmeleon's tail began to glow as it slammed its tail into Akane, sending the Ditto flying back across the dust.

"Dit...to…" Akane panted as it got back up to both her two feet.

"You good to go, Akane?" Hue asked.

"Ditto…" Akane nodded.

"In that case…" Hue said as he looked around the battlefield. It was a rare sight seeing one this...unaltered. He had an idea.

"And use Slash!" He yelled.

"Ditto!" Akane shouted as it lunged forward again.

"You didn't learn from last time?" Freddie asked with a bit of a laugh. "I'm surprised, Hue. Charmeleon! Use Dragon Tail once more!"

"Now Akane! Hit the dust on the ground!"

"Ditto!" Akane dragged its claws along the dusty battlefield, shooting dirt and dust up into Freddie's Charmeleon's eyes.

"Charmeleon!" It exclaimed as it tripped thanks to lack of sight and its Dragon Tail hit the dusty battlefield.

"Don't be silly, Freddie." Hue replied with a grin as he adjusted his glasses so that he could see in the blistering light. "I'm _always_ learning new tricks."

"That's exactly what your younger sister did too…" Freddie remembered fondly as his Charmeleon got back up.

"But I have some new tricks up my sleeve as well!" He laughed as he pointed. "Charmeleon, use Lava Plume!"

"Chaaaarrrr!" The Charmeleon called as a bunch of magma rose up from the dust and shot itself towards Akane.

"Akane, use this to your advantage!" Hue called out. "Use Dragon Tail on the ground to create a moat!"

"Ditto!" Akane did as it was instructed and created what resulted in a magma moat swirling around Akane and Freddie's Charmeleon.

"Now, use Flamethrower!" Hue yelled.

"Ditttoooo!" Akane howled as it shot a Flamethrower attack of its mouth.

"Slash through it, Charmeleon!" Freddie called.

"Charmeleon!" Charmeleon said as it extended its claws and slashed through the Flamethrower.

"Now Akane!" Hue said as Freddie's Charmeleon got close. "Use Dragon Tail while its too close to retreat!"

"Ditto!" Akane slammed a glowing tail into Freddie's Charmeleon, causing it to slide across the dust to the edge of the magma moat.

"Hm…" Freddie grinned. "I see what's going on here, Hue, and I'm hurt, _hurt_ , that you think I wouldn't notice it."

"So, you figured it out, huh?" Hue grinned. "Then enlighten everyone. What is it I'm trying to do?"

"You're trying to force me to move towards the center to avoid falling to the magma moat." Freddie replied.

"So I've been found out." Hue grinned. "But why are you still smiling? You're one move away from giving me a nice clean hit on you.."

"But what you fail to realize is that while your strategy works well in theory…" Freddie continued.

"A powerful enough _Flamethrower_ …" He said as his Charmeleon shot a Flamethrower attack at the ground, jetting itself into the air.

"Can easily allow me to escape the magma moat's clutches." Freddie finished as his Charmeleon landed on the far side of the magma moat.

Freddie grinned at Hue. "Now _you're_ the one who's trapped, Swanson."

"I wouldn't be so sure…" Hue grinned.

Freddie rose an eyebrow.

Hue continued. "You've given me all this _magma_ to play with!"

The look of surprise on Freddie's face let Hue know that he had found a good solution to his problem.

"Akane! Use Lava Plume!"

"Ditto." Akane gave a malicious grin as it lifted its arms and summoned all the magma out from the moat as it all rushed towards Freddie's Charmeleon.

"Oh…." Freddie said as he and his Charmeleon watched a large wall of magma rush towards them. "Fu-"

The Magma picked up Freddie's Charmeleon in a flash, and left it unconscious on the dusty battlefield when it finally seceded.

"Charmeleon is unable to battle!" The ref said. "The winner is Ditto, which means victory goes to Akane and Hue!"

"Yes!" Hue and the still Charmeleon Akane high fived each other. "We did, Akane! Two more battles to go!"

"Ditto!" Akane smiled.

"Great battle, Freddie." Hue said with a grin as he walked up to Freddie.

"You really had me dancing around at the beginning there…"

"I wonder how that would have turned out if you had been using a Pokemon other than that Ditto." Freddie replied. "Congrats on finally getting one by the way. You were pretty worked up about how Ernest's Ditto was taken as evidence."

"Actually, that's a story I'd need a lot of time to tell…" Hue said. "Come on, We can talk about it while we go to a healing tent before my next match starts."

"Sounds good." Freddie nodded. "Now where's-?"

"Boo!" Aura poked Freddie in the back, scaring the living daylights out of him.

"Heehee, look, Huey!" She chimed. "I scared him!"

"And he'd appreciate it if you didn't do it again!" Freddie exclaimed as he backed away from her.

"Heehee…" Aura continued to giggle. "Look Huey, all that time he's spent with us has rubbed off on him. He even gives me backtalk like you."

"Because my backtalk is the only thing you respond to." Hue mumbled.

"Hm?" Aura asked as her dark green eyes intensified in sharpness. "I didn't quite catch that."

"I said, yeah, It's pretty funny, isn't it?" Hue gave a nervous chuckle.

 _Those beautiful and scary eyes...How can anyone compete with a glare that emasculating?_

*In Between Rounds*

"I'm sorry...you _what_?" Aura asked with her eyes wide as she munched on some funnel cake while the three of them sat down at a picnic table to catch up.

"So you really asked DiDi out?" Hue asked, more confused than anything.

"She said since I wasn't Donovan Mc Cliche best friend pants, I had to beat her in a battle for it. Needless to say…" Freddie held out an empty wallet. "I did not fare that well."

"Dammit…" Hue said as he turned his head away. "I _knew_ she liked Donovan. This situation pisses me off…"

"Why, because it's your sister and best friend?" Aura asked as she fed Karakara a small piece of funnel cake. "Because you'll feel like a third wheel?"

"No…" Hue shook his head. "Because I've been trying to set them up for two damn years now, and they both deny liking the other person even though it's really, _really_ obvious."

"If it's obvious enough that _Huey_ can spot it, it must be pretty obvious." Aura said as she ate another piece of funnel cake. "I'm suhprized you di-in't rea-rize it Freddeh." She said with her mouth full.

"Don't talk with your mouth full." Hue sighed as he took a napkin and wiped crumbs off her face.

"Are…" Freddie pointed at the two of them. "Are you two finally-?"

"Are we finally what?" Hue asked, as though the previous conversation hadn't just happened. "Ready for the league?"

 _Please don't ask what I don't want you to ask Freddie..._

"No...I mean, I just _saw_ you wipe off her face."

"Well yeah…" Hue shrugged. "It was dirty."

 _Now is not the time for this Freddie…_

"Freddie…" Aura sighed. "I have a feeling the answer to whatever question you want to ask is 'No.'"

"Tournament Semi-Finalists, please take a look at the nearest monitor to see your next opponent!" The announcer said across the speakers.

Hue welcomed the excuse to get the hell out of there and focus on something entirely different.

He rushed to the nearest monitor.

Hue Swanson vs….Sierra Randolph.

"Oh, That girl…" Hue said before a pause.

"Who speaks just…" Pause

"One two three…" Pause

"Syllables." Pause

"At a time." Hue snickered to himself as he finished.

"Don't mock me." Sierra said as she appeared from behind him.

"I have my…" Pause. "Limits, you…" Pause. "Idiot."

"Woah, sorry…" Hue said not intending to only say three syllables. "It won't happen again. But you can speak fine in battles, right?"

"That's correct." Sierra nodded.

"Then what's making you so exhausted that you have to-?"

"My...Litwick…" Sierra moved ever so slightly to the left and pointed down at a small candle-shaped Pokemon.

Hue instinctively rose his pokedex up.

"[Litwick]" Dean informed him. "The [Candle] Pokemon. Litwick appear to be helping to guide the way of people by illuminating areas that are darkened, but in reality they are actually leading them to the Ghost World. They feed off the life energy of people and Pokemon, and use it as fuel for the flames on their heads."

Hue was already wary of this thing, so when he looked at its moveset, he nearly passed out from fright.

Hue had never been more terrified of a Pokemon the size of a ruler.

SIERRA VS HUE

"It looks like this match will be Sierra's Litwick VS Hue's Ditto!" The ref called out. "The match will be over once one side's Pokemon is unable to battle! Trainers, are you ready?"

"Ready!" Hue said.

"Ditto!" Akane agreed.

"Sierra?" The ref looked over to Sierra.

Sierra brushed her long brunette hair out of her face to reveal eyes full of excitement and a grin that almost looked starved.

"You bet your sweet ass, I'm ready!" She exclaimed.

"Litwick!" Her Litwick's flame was shining very faintly.

"Battle, Start!" The ref called out.

"Inferno, Liwick!" Sierra called out. "Burn that pink blob to the ground!"

"Litwick!" Litwick shot a large vortex of fire at Akane.

"Akane!" Hue yelled. "Transform, quickly, and absorb the move!"

"Ditto!" Akane quickly transformed into a Litwick, and sucked up the Inferno attack.

 _I didn't expect to be dealing with powerful attacks like Inferno in a tournament like this, but I really need that seventh badge._

"Akane, use Shadow Ball!" Hue called out.

"Nice try…" Sierra laughed. "You've put yourself at a _humongous_ disadvantage! Litwick, heheheheh, Imprison your imposter!"

"Litwick!"

Litwick's eyes glew as it trapped Akane still for a split second.

"Ditto!" Akane exclaimed as it tried one by one, and failed, to use any of the Litwick's attacks.

"This doesn't look good…" Hue mumbled to himself.

"Now, Litwick!" Sierra cackled. "Use, use Shadow Ball!"

 _Oh no…_

"Akane, we can't let that hit us or we're done for!" Hue called out. "I have an idea. Are you sure you can't use any moves?"

"Ditto, Ditto!" Akane nodded rapidly.

"In that case!" Hue continued. "I want you to make that flame on your head shine brighter!"

"Ditto!" Akane chirped as it rolled out of the Shadow Ball's way and began to intensify the flame on its head.

"What's this?" the announcer said. "Why does that…. Bright head flame...make me so...exhausted…?"

"Ugh, Litwick…" Sierra said, reverting to her marginally less creepy exhausted persona. "Shadow Ball."

"Lit..wick…" Her Litwick shot the smallest Shadow Ball in the world.

Akane was easily able to dodge it.

"Now, focus all that energy on Litwick!" Hue called out.

"Wick…" Sierra's Litwick fell with a thud.

"Litwick is unable to battle!" The ref exclaimed. "Hue and Akane are the winners, without even landing a single move!"

 _Oh thank Arceus I looked at the pokedex entry earlier…_

*In Between Matches*

"Huey, you're a finalist in one of these, finally!" Aura cheered as she ran up to him as he walked towards a healing tent to heal Akane.

"Maybe this time you'll actually win."

"I better…" Hue said with a nervous laugh. "I really need to battle Blaine for that badge."

Hue looked around and noticed Freddie was absent.

"Where did Freddie go?" He wondered aloud.

"Freddie said something about purchasing some vacation items. I wasn't paying attention to him when he said it, but he mentioned something about being a guest chef on a cruise ship again." Aura sighed.

"That reminds me…" Hue said, realizing how close the Sevii Islands Contest Cruise actually was. "I have something to show you after the finals of the tournament and my match with Blaine, so make sure to ask me about it in case I forget during the battle."

Aura gave a thumbs up.

"You got it."

"Will the finalists of the tournament please report to the battlefield?" The announcer asked over the speakers.

"It is time to determine the winner!"

Hue sighed as he took Akane's pokeball and he and Aura walked back towards the battlefield.

"Do you know who the other finalist in the tournament is?" Hue asked, hoping that Aura had somehow seen at least a glimpse of the other fights.

"Not a clue!" She smiled as though that answer was the one Hue was looking for.

"Some help that was…" He mumbled under his breath.

"Give 'em hell, Huey!" Aura chimed as she and Hue parted ways and she took Karakara with her towards the bleachers. Hue walked in towards the battlefield.

"Give it up for our first finalist!" The ref said. "Hubert Swanson of Fuchsia City!"

Hue was not accustomed to hearing cheers during a battle that wasn't part of a contest, so he was pleasantly surprised to hear all the cheers that came from the audience. When he concentrated hard enough, he could even hear Aura's and Karakara's voices among the crowd.

"And our second finalist!" The ref continued as _she_ walked onto the battlefield. A surprised look came across her face.

"Why must you always show up to ruin my good days?" She asked.

"Twilight Church of Saffron City!" The ref introduced her to the crowd, which again gave a surprising amount of cheers.

"You again?" Hue asked with an exasperated sigh.

"I'm not happy about this either, Swanson." Twilight grumbled. "This is the last chance I'll have before the cruise starts to win a Volcanobadge."

"Then the stakes are the same for the both of us…" Hue said in a serious tone.

 _I do kind of feel bad for Twilight, but I also need to get my seventh badge ASAP._

"Trainers!" The ref called. "Send out your Pokemon!"

"Akane!" Hue called as he sent out his Ditto.

"Flareon!" Twilight called as she sent out a Flareon.

Hue held up his pokedex.

"[Flareon]." Dean beeped. "The [Flame] Pokemon. Flareon is an evolved form of Eevee. The air it inhales is ignited by a flame in its body and expelled as fire. It stores some of the air it breathes in its internal flame sac, which heats its body to over three thousand degrees."

"That's some outdated info." Twilight informed Hue as he put his pokedex back. "A Flareon's body temperature caps out at one thousand, six hundred and fifty degrees. The three thousand degrees is referring to the flames it exhales."

"Why are you telling me this information?" Hue asked her.

"It looks like this match will be Twilight's Flareon VS Hue's Ditto!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Because…" Twilight answered as she got ready.

"Trainers, are you ready?"

"Yes…" Hue said.

Twilight nodded at the ref and then turned back at Hue.

"None of it will help you defeat me."

"Battle, Start!" Both trainers and the ref all yelled at once.

TWILIGHT VS HUE

"Akane, you know what to do!" Hue called out. "Transform!"

"Ditto!" Akane exclaimed as it transformed into a carbon copy of Twilight's Flareon.

"Flareon!" Twilight yelled. "Use Scary Face!"

"Flare…" Twilight's Flareon gave Akane a menacing grin that reminded Hue of the creepy ass grin he had just seen on Sierra Randolph.

"Ditto…" Akane slowly began to back away from Twilight's Flareon.

"Akane!" Hue called out. "Use Smog!"

"Bite, Flareon!" Twilight called out.

"Dit….." Akane began to generate a puff of smog.

"To!" Akane shot it at Twilight's Flareon who instantly dodged under the attack and fiercely bit Akane's front right leg.

"Diiiiitooooo!" Akane wailed in agony as it tried to shake Twilight's Flareon off.

"Akane, try a Scary Face of your own!" Hue suggested.

"I don't think so!" Twilight shouted. "Flareon, use Smog!"

"Ditto…" Akane made the scariest face it could muster at the Flareon still gripping its leg.

"Flareonnn!" The Flareon called out as it shot a smog at Akane while letting go of Akane's leg.

"Akane!" Hue yelled. "Breath in the Smog attack! As much as possible!"

"Diiiiiiiiiii-" Akane began to inhale the Smog attack.

"What are you doing?" Twilight asked, confused. "Do you _want_ to lose?"

"Not exactly…" Hue said as Akane flinched at all the toxic fumes it was inhaling.

"But I just thought we'd use the poison to our advantage!"

"Ditto!" Akane roared a stronger roar than before it inhaled the smog attack.

"Your Flareon has the Guts ability doesn't it?" Hue asked.

Twilight only gave him a death stare. Hue continued.

"That means its attack increases when its affected by a status condition like being poisoned."

"You lunatic! You're going to take so much gradual damage that-"

"That I better end this fight quickly! Now Akane!" Hue called out. "Use Bite!"

"Ditto!" Akane bit onto Twilight's Flareon.

"Flaaaaaaa!" Twilight's Flareon wailed out in pain as Akane refused to let go of Flareon's leg.

"All right Swanson…" Twilight said. "I assume that while you were looking at the data on the pokedex you noticed what moves Flareon knows."

"That's right…" Hue nodded.

"In that case, you know the move Flareon is going to use next."

"I intend to use the same." Hue replied.

"All right then!" Twilight shouted. "Time to see if your reckless behavior paid off! No one has ever withstood an attack like this from Flareon!"

"Bring it on!" Hue shouted back.

"Flareon!"

"Akane!"

"Use Last Resort!" Both trainers shouted as Flareon and Akane both cloaked themselves with stars and slammed into the opposing pokemon.

A huge cloud of dust covered the battlefield.

When the dust cleared, one Flareon was on the ground, and the other Flareon was still standing.

The only question now was…

Who's Flareon was it?

 _Come on Arceus, please let me have this one..._ Hue pleaded.

"..."

"..."

The Flareon turned towards the audience and opened its mouth.

"..."

"..."

"Ditto!" It finally chirped, as it reverted back to its natural form.

Half of the crowd exploded into an uproar.

Hue could hardly believe it himself.

"Flareon is unable to battle!" The ref called. "The winner is Ditto, which means victory goes to Hubert and Akane!"

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" The announcer announced. "We have our tournament winner! Hubert Swanson and his Ditto, Akane! Please remain in your seats however, as after our resident Nurse Joy heals Hue's Ditto, a one on one battle with Blaine, the gym leader, will take place!"

"Way to go, Huey!" Aura called from the bleachers.

"Bone! Cubone!" Karakara cheered as well.

"Hue Swanson?" A reporter came up to him as she handed him a microphone. "How are you feeling about to battle Blaine for a Volcanobadge?"

"Well, I'm pretty excited…" Hue answered honestly into the microphone. "Because I've got two tickets for a Cruise of the Sevii Islands for pokemon coordinators and I'm surprising my travel buddy, Aura with it, and it'll be great to start the cruise with seven badges each."

Hue smiled in Aura's direction as he relished the look of genuine surprise and happiness on her face.

"I thought we wouldn't be able to win enough for the two of us…" She said to herself. "But this changes everything. We can easily both get into the Grand Festival now!"

"And what are your thoughts on your most recent match?" The reporter asked.

Hue looked at Twilight.

She looked so upset at having lost so close to the finals.

"I have to say, that I'm not a fan of the way things are being run around here." Hue replied. "Both my opponent and I were in the same boat going into that fight, and I'm sure I only one by a hair. It could just as easily have been her standing here, so I think she at least deserves a battle with Blaine as well."

"Shut up, Swanson!" Twilight yelled at Hue. "I don't want charity from you!"

"I wasn't trying to be charitable!" Hue defended himself. "I honestly think that-"

"I don't want to hear it." Twilight said as she left. "I'll train during the Sevii Islands cruise, and come back and get my badge then. It's the last one I need anyways."

 _Wait...the_ _ **last**_ _badge? I guess we weren't in the same boat after all._

As Twilight left the battlefield, Blaine entered, along with the pokemon egg prize that Hue had forgotten about entirely.

HUE VS BLAINE

"I'm impressed Hue. You've earned the right to battle me not once, but twice, and a different way each time. Not many trainers can say they've accomplished such a feat."

"Well, not many trainers are interrupted before they can have a legitimate gym battle."

"Haha…" Blaine laughed as he clutched his cane and held out a pokeball.

"Are you ready Hue Swanson? For our One on One match?"

"I'm ready…" Hue nodded.

"In that case…" Blaine threw out a pokeball.

"Magcargo, I choose you!"

"Magcargo!" The fiery snail with a molten rock shell bubbled.

"Huh…" Hue said as he took out his pokedex.

"I don't think a Kanto region pokedex will help you with this one…" Blaine chuckled.

Hue could hear Aura giggle in the distance.

"My pokedex has data on most pokemon in existence." Hue informed Blaine with a smile.

"I think I can dig up some data."

"[Magcargo]." Dean proved Hue right. "The [Lava] Pokemon. Magcargo lives primarily in volcanic regions and occasionally emits the lava from its back that circles its body."

"You mean under that rock shell, there's a bunch of lava?" Hue asked astonished.

"Yes." Dean replied in its standard robotic voice.

"You can do it Huey!" Aura cheered from the bleachers. "We believe in you, right Karakara?"

"Bone! Cubone cuuu!" Karakara cheered as she waved her bone around lag a flag.

"Alright, Akane!" Hue called for his Ditto.

"Ditto!" Akane exclaimed as it landed on the dusty battlefield.

"This is it Akane!" Hue pep talked his Ditto. "Our last battle today. After this we're going on a cruise."

"Ditto!" Akane exclaimed again.

"The one on one battle between Blaine, the gym leader, and Hue, the challenger, will now begin!" The ref said. "The battle will be over when one side's pokemon is no longer able to battle. The winner will receive the Volcanobadge. This battle will be between Blaine's Magcargo, and Hue's Ditto! Trainers, are you ready?"

"I've been ready since the moment I was born nearly a century ago." Blaine chuckled.

"I'm ready as well." Hue nodded.

The ref nodded at both of them, and after a small pause…

"Battle...Start!"

"Magcargo!" Blaine called out. "Use Rock Slide!"

"Oh crap!" Hue called out. "Akane, hold off on transforming, and instead mold your body to dodge the attack!"

"Dit-to...to...to...to... Ditto.." Akane stretched and compressed itself as necessary much like silly putty in order to avoid being hit by the large barrage of boulders being hurled in its direction by Blaine's Magcargo.

 _We can't transform into Magcargo…_ Hue thought to himself. _If we transform into Magcargo, we won't be able to dodge any of those Rock Slide attacks. Blaine picked this pokemon because its a good counter to itself...so how are we going to win? Think Hue, think!_

"Hue…" Deus's voice echoed in his now aching head. "Use Transform."

"But, my opponent-" Hue began.

"Needn't be the one that Akane copies." Deus said.

 _Deus you absolute genius…_

"Thank you." Deus accepted Hue's thought.

"Akane!" Hue called. "Transform!"

"Heh…" Blaine laughed. "If you think you can-...hunh?!" Blaine looked on in confusion as Akane transformed itself.

"Ditto!" Akane held out a carbon copy of Karakara's bone.

"Cubone?" Karakara asked in confusion from the bleachers. She seemed worried that somehow Akane had actually turned into her.

"The thing about Transform…" Hue said with a grin. "Is that it's not a move you necessarily need to use on your opponent…"

"Ditto!" Akane beat its chest proudly.

"So let's get this over with quickly, eh?" Hue asked. "Akane, use Bonemerang!"

"Ditto!" Akane tossed the bone it was holding at Magcargo.

"Magcargo!" Blaine called out, in somewhat of a panic. "Use Ancient Power!"

"Cargo!" Magcargo shot strange rocks towards Akane, who couldn't dodge them quite in time thanks to being busy throwing the Bonemerang attack. The rocks piled up onto it, before it wiggled its way out.

"Di...Ditto…" Akane said panting.

"Go!" Magcargo was hit by the first Bonemerang.

"Mag…" It was hit the by second, returning Bonemerang.

"Car...go...mag...car...go...mag...car...go…" The Lava pokemon was already panting heavily.

"Wow…" Hue said looking down at Akane. "That 4x weakness really is crippling isn't it?"

"Magcargo, don't let this stop you!" Blaine called out. "Use Lava Plume!"

"Car...goooooo!" Magcargo let loose a large wave of magma, just like what Freddie's Charmeleon had done.

"Akane!" Hue called out. "Use…" He paused for a minute.

"Wait, how did you get her to learn _this_ move?" Hue asked Aura directly.

"Don't ask, just use it!" Aura shouted from the bleachers.

"Cubone!" Karakara seemed to have the same thoughts Aura had about the matter.

"Akane!' Hue called out again. "Use Earth Power!"

As Magcargo shot a huge wave of lava and magma towards Akane, Akane rose its bone, and a gigantic wall of earth rose up from the battlefield, causing the Lava Plume attack to flow around it, missing Akane completely. The wall then shot in Magcargo's direction.

"What level was that Cubone at?" Blaine asked in disbelief when Magcargo's unconscious body appeared on the ground after the large cloud of dust created by the Earth Power attack had settled.

"Magcargo is unable to battle! Ditto is the winner!" The ref exclaimed. "Which means victory, and the Volcanobadge goes to Hue and his Ditto, Akane!"

"Yeah!" Hue cheered.

"Ditto!" Akane did the same as they high fived before Akane changed back into a Ditto.

"Well, Hue…" Blaine said as he handed Hue the Volcanobadge. "Maybe after the pokemon league is over you can make a stop back here and give me a real battle, using your own pokemon and their own moves."

"And maybe you can use pokemon that a normal trainer from Kanto can actually look up in their pokedex." Hue quipped back.

Blaine laughed.

"And maybe I can finally give you a riddle that will stump you. Congrats kid. A badge and a pokemon egg. They're both yours."

"Umm…" Hue looked at the egg. "Hrm…."

"What is it?" Blaine asked, a little confused.

"Do you know what's in this egg?" Hue asked.

"Not a darn clue." Blaine answered. "My guess is as good as yours. Heh, I mean, that Volcanobadge in your hand even proves it."

"Alright then…" Hue said.

 _If it's a blue pokemon, I should probably repay Davon Le Rouge back for giving me Arthur's egg way back in Pewter City._

"Huey!" Aura ran up to Hue and practically tackled him.

"Huey you have no idea how much I love you right now! You surprise me with the Sevii Islands contest cruise tickets, you win a tournament using a pokemon named after my mother, and you win your battle with Blaine by transforming into Karakara! My birthday's not for another half a year!"

Hue hoped he could use the heat emanating from Blaine's Magcargo to excuse how incredibly red his face was.

*Next Day*

"Here it is, Professor." Hue said as he sent Akane to Professor Oak. "We're docking in Pallet Town when we come back from the cruise, so we'll be sure to visit you then, okay?"

"That sounds wonderful, Hue." Professor Oak replied. "My father, and his grandfather before him both held visits with trainers they gave pokemon to as well. It's a great way to see how much progress they've made and how they've grown as people on their journey."

"I don't think we've grown _that_ much…" Hue said as he looked over at Aura, who was playing, and losing, a game of Jenga against Karakara.

"You'd be surprised." Professor Oak said.

"I'll be sure to call you once the egg hatches if it does before we come back." Hue said. "Talk to you later, Professor."

"Likewise Hue. Take care of yourself!"

After Hue got off the video phone, he walked up to Aura and Karakara.

"You ladies ready to leave?" He asked. "I've got some brochures and maps of the Sevii Islands, so say if there are any tourist spots you want to check out during our free time in between contests…"

"Thanks Huey…" Aura said as she took a brochure. "I'll be sure to drag you all around, but right now, I need to prove to Karakara that she's not as good at Jenga as she thinks she is!"

 _Don't tell me that_ _ **this**_ _is an attempt to evolve her…_

As Hue thought that equal parts sad and funny thought, he noticed something move in the window.

It was quick, but he could make out a dark and shadowy humanoid figure with a dash of crimson red.

 _Oh no...Not this again..._


	58. One Island

Chapter 58:

One Island

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Protect, Rapid Spin, Water Pulse, Skull Bash

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Fury Cutter

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Ace(Pidgeotto): Mud Slap, Roost, Twister, Wing Attack

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Egg(It doesn't seem close to hatching)

"Attention Coordinators…." The captain of the cruise ship said over the speakers. "We're currently docking at One Island. Our first contest will be held momentarily in the contest hall just southwest of the Pokemon Center. Please keep an eye on the time. Any coordinators who fail to report to the contest hall will automatically be dropped from the contest. We will not be departing to Two Island for a few days, so there will be plenty of time to sightsee after the contest."

"One Island!" Aura said excitedly as she breathed in the island air.

"I don't know why this island breeze feels so nostalgic to me…" She smiled.

"I just feel hot…" Hue said as he took a water bottle out of his bag and began to drink.

He looked at his new pokemon egg.

"I hope the egg doesn't boil…"

"Well, it's not like Davon is on the cruise anyway…" Aura said. "In fact…"

She looked around as other coordinators such as Helen Lang, Cherry Devonshire, Twilight Church, and Monica Wright got off the cruise.

"Aside from Freddie, who's helping cook meals in the kitchens, I think you might be the only boy here…"

"Well, that's...something, I guess…" Hue shrugged.

 _I actually wonder if I can use that to my advantage in the contests…_

"Huey! Auraaa!" Diane rushed up to the two of them.

"DiDi!" Aura and Hue both said at the same time with smiles.

"Huey, you'll have to excuse us for a bit." Aura said as her eyes started to flicker.

"I have to talk to your sister about something."

 _Don't tell me it's about Freddie and his-_

Aura's smile transformed into one of her sly grins.

 _Ugh. Of course it's about that._

"Well, you two have fun." Hue smiled. "I'll catch the two of you later, during the contest."

"Am I going to leave you speechless again?"

 _Arceus, I hope so…_

"Arceus, I hope not…" Hue said as he rolled his eyes. "I'm heading up to the pokemon center. I want to learn more about the Island before the contest."

"Hue, Hue, wait up!" He heard Freddie call as he walked up the large staircase towards one of the biggest Pokemon Centers he had ever seen.

"Freddie? There a reason you're running?" Hue asked.

"Like you don't know?" Freddie asked. "Dude, it's just us. It's _just us!_ The captain, the staff, and every other coordinator. This boat's full of women, dude!"

 _Davon would have loved this cruise. It's a pity he's already got all the ribbons he needs._

"This means we need to stick together, you got that?" Freddie continued.

"Otherwise we're gonna drown in the estrogen."

"You're scared you'll end up having to talk to Diane again." Hue commented.

"I'm scared I'll end up having to talk to Diane again." Freddie admitted. He turned around as he began to walk backwards up stairs.

"But hey! We haven't ever gotten to have much bro time when we were traveling together, so this is a good opportunity anyways."

"Alright, you scaredy-Meowth."

"I'm not the one that still denies their ever more obvious-oomph." Freddie stopped as he had walked backwards into the wall of the Pokemon Center.

"You should look where you're going." Hue smiled as the double doors to the Pokemon Center opened and the two boys walked in.

"Welcome to One Island's pokemon center!" The Nurse Joy said. "Please, feel free to look in our gift shop or ask one of our local assistant nurses about the Island!"

Hue noticed the giant machine in the side of the pokemon center.

"What exactly is that?" He asked.

"Oh…" Nurse Joy lamented. "Well, that _was_ a useful machine that allowed us to access Kanto's PC Network, as well as allowing us to contact and even trade with trainers in the Hoenn region, since the Sevii Islands serve as roughly a midpoint between the two. Though we are technically closer to Kanto…"

"You said it _was_ a useful machine?"

"Well you see…" Nurse Joy gave a nervous laugh. "Roughly eight or nine years ago, the ruby and sapphire being used to power the machine were stolen, and the only man who knew how to operate the machine just disappeared and hasn't been seen or heard from since."

"A ghoooosssst!" Freddie tried to sound scary as he waved his arms at Hue.

"In any case…" Nurse joy continued. "Whoever took those gems clearly didn't want anyone connecting with Hoenn at the time. In fact, maybe they still don't."

"What else is there to know about One Island?" Hue asked.

"Well, here in the town itself…" Nurse Joy gave a shy smile. "There is not much to do I'm afraid. However, to the south of here is Treasure Beach. It's a great place to find buried metals and minerals, so if either of you want, you can buy a metal detector from our gift shop!"

"Maybe later." Hue said. "I have a contest in a few minutes."

"Oh!" Nurse Joy got a twinkle in her eyes. "You're with the Contest Cruise? Then I wish you the best of luck. These contests are small, so it's always only the top two that move on to the battle stage. So remember that your performance is incredibly important in these contests! You have to really make impressions on the judges."

"Now I'm just getting stressed out…" Hue mumbled, failing to keep Nurse Joy from hearing his comment.

"If stress does end up getting to you, you should head east and then north up Kindle Road." Nurse Joy recommended. "There's a spa halfway towards Mt. Ember, called the Ember Spa. You could go there after your contest!"

"T-thanks…" Hue said.

"Ahem…" The captain's voice sounded over speakers of the pokemon center. "Coordinators, the contest will be starting in fifteen minutes. You have until then to sign up. Any latecomers will be dropped out of the special One Island contest automatically."

"Good luck!" Freddie called as Hue bolted for the Contest Hall.

He turned to Nurse Joy. "So... _where_ did you say I could get a metal detector again?"

The One Island Contest hall was one of those open stadium type buildings. There was no ceiling restricting movement of flying pokemon, which Hue found favorable.

"You ready Ace?" He asked his Pidgeotto.

"Pidgeooo!" Ace cooed excitedly.

She was the pokemon that Hue had signed up with for the performance round. Hue was dressed in bird-keeper attire, to 'look the part' as Aura had told him countless times in previous contests to do.

While waiting in the waiting room area, Hue took note of the coordinators who would be his opponents for possibly all of the contests on this cruise.

Helen Lang, Monica Wright, Twilight Church, Cherry Devonshire, Karen Walls…

He knew that both Diane and Aura were in the changing rooms at the moment, so there was them to worry about as well.

If Hue was being perfectly honest with himself, The coordinator in the group that he was most worried about was _himself._

 _How the heck am I going to impress the judges when I'm too busy being impressed by all my competition?_

"Hey Huey…" Aura's voice said from her changing room as she slowly left it, causing Hue to instantly turn around and look away.

"Guess the pokemon I'm using this time!"

"Aura, please…" Hue said holding his hand to his nose, hoping it hadn't already begun to bleed.

"I don't think the hula outfit is necessary to use Nazono."

"Well what else am I supposed to wear when I use Nazono?" Aura asked with a huff. "This is my Grass-Type outfit!"

"And that red kimono is your bug type outfit?" Hue asked.

"And my swimsuit is my aquatic pokemon outfit…" Aura continued. "And my hakama is my 'this performance uses Swords Dance' outfit, and my regular clothes-"

"I get it! You dress for the occasion…" Hue said, refusing to turn around.

"Heehee…" Aura laughed with a smile. "Are you scared you'll forget how to speak again?"

Hue nodded rapidly, which seemed to be good enough for Aura. She stopped pestering him and went to go talk with Helen.

"Attention coordinators!" The announcer said. "This is the first of seven contests on your cruise to earn ribbons for Kanto's Grand Festival!"

The women in the room all cheered.

Hue could feel his ears ringing.

"So as to make these contests fun and exciting, and different from your standard mainland contests, each Performance Stage will feature a certain 'theme' that will be announced now, after you have already decided upon your pokemon. In addition, the Battle Stage will feature another, separate theme, which will be announced when our two finalists have been chosen. These themes will be in the form of idioms and proverbs that have no real meaning, and the coordinators will have their pokemon's performance reflect what they believe the phrase _could_ mean. In case you're lost, just listen to the theme, and make a performance based off of what you heard! The closer you are to what was said, the more points will be awarded to you!"

Everyone seemed to have a pretty good grasp of what was going on.

"Our One Island Performance Stage theme is…" The announcer announced.

The words appeared on the monitor.

 _ **Flowers Smell Fresher In The Morning**_

"There you have it coordinators! We'll kick things off with Cherry Devonshire!"

Cherry walked out onto the stage.

"Go!" She sent out her Pokemon.

"Persian!"

"Perrrrrr!" Her Persian trilled as the audience cheered.

"Persian!" Cherry called out. "Use Swift!"

"Perrrrsiaann!" Persian purred as it shot a barrage of stars that began to move about the room.

"And now Power Gem!"

"Prrrrr!" Persian created small crystals all around it as the red gem on its forehead began to glow, and rammed each one of the crystals into a star from its Swift attack, causing small explosions and sparks of light that began to sprinkle down on Persian, giving its fine fur a glow of radiance.

"Now Persian!" Cherry said as she stretched out her hand towards the audience.

"Use Captivate!"

"Siaaaah!" The Persian made a pose so damn adorable as it lifted it's paw that Hue instantly wanted one of his own.

The audience cheered with a thunderous roar.

"Wow…." The announcer said. "An amazing performance by Cherry and her Persian!"

Cherry gave a curtsey and led her Persian off the stage.

"Next up…" The announcer called. "Please give it up for Karen Walls!"

"Leafeon!" Karen called out as she sent out her Leafeon. "You're up!"

"Leeaaaaff…" Leafeon yawned as it stretched itself out.

"Leafeon, use Sunny Day!" Karen called out.

"Leaaaff!" The Leafeon said as the sun intensified around it.

It's skin began to radiate a certain glow about it.

Hue remembered that Leafeon gained energy through photosynthesis, so he wondered if Karen was secretly trying to give her Leafeon more energy.

"Now, Synthesis!" She called out.

"Eonnnn…" Leafeon's bright skin began to shine even more.

"Now, Grasswhistle!"

"Leeaaafff...eeeoooonn….Leaaafeeooon…." Leafeon began to whistle as a soft wind began to blow, causing its ears and tail to flutter like leaves in the wind.

After Leafeon was finished, it took a bow along with Karen as the audience cheered.

"And now let's hear it for Aura Jones!" The announcer exclaimed as Aura waltzed onto the stage dressed in her hula skirt getup.

"Nazono!" She called out as she tossed her pokeball. "Let's show them how it's done!"

"Bellossom!" Nazono smiled as she began to spin around.

"Alright, Nazono!" Aura called out. "Let's start things off with a Petal Dance!"

"Bellossom!" Nazono exclaimed as pink petals began to follow her around as she danced.

"Now let's use Sunny Day!"

"Bell!" Nazono lifted her small green arms to the sky and the sun intensified, with light reflecting off of the petals, creating the illusion that the air itself was sparkling.

"And now Sweet Scent!" Aura chimed as Nazono gestured with her arms and a pleasant aroma wafted from both her and the petals throughout the contest hall as the petals slowly drifted to Nazono's feet.

The audience went wild as Aura and Nazono both curtseyed and drifted offstage.

"Next up…" The announcer exclaimed as Aura walked by Hue.

"G'luck Huey." She whispered with a sly smile.

 _How am I supposed to compete with any of you people?_

"Thanks…" Hue said as the announcer introduced his name.

"Hue Swanson!"

As Hue walked out onto the stage, he noticed that he was receiving just as many cheers as all the women he was competing against.

"Go, Ace!" He called out as he sent out his Pidgeotto.

"Pidgeooo!" Ace cooed towards the audience.

"Ace, use Mud Slap!" Hue called out.

"Pidgeoo!" Ace dragged her feet across the dirt and slapped up some mud.

"Now, quickly use Wing Attack to keep it in the air!"

"Pigeotto! Pid! Geo! Tto!" Ace hit the Mud Slap with her glowing wings, causing the mud to expand in the air, but also to remain airborne.

"Now, fly up and use Twister to take the mud with you!" Hue called.

"Pidgeooooo!" Ace began to shoot herself upwards as she created a powerful Twister that made the mud come up with her.

"Now, Roost back down on the ground!"

"Pidgeotto…" Ace cooed as she slowly flew back to the stage floor and roosted on one foot.

The mud began to fall around her in the shape of a sunflower, with Ace as the center.

Hue felt nervous.

He needed this to work. Ace was doing exactly what he wanted her too, but there still wasn't nearly enough cheering as there was _during_ the other performances. Where did all the enthusiasm go?

 _Come on Ace...If there was ever a time to pull a new move out of a hat it'd be now…_

"Pid…" Ace looked at Hue with a twinkle in her eye.

She spread her wings wide as the mud continued to fall, when both she, and the mud that was falling, began to glow in a bright light.

Hue recognized this event, and went speechless. Had Ace been holding that in all this time?

 _How much had Gloria actually battled with her_. Was the thought that Hue found himself thinking.

The audience absolutely lost it.

Ace began to grow, body, wings and all, and the mud from the Mud Slap that was still falling began to transform as well.

"Pidgeot!" Ace cooed as the light receded, revealing that the Mud Slap that had not yet reached the ground had transformed into pure white feathers, creating an even more realistic image of a flower.

"[Pidgeot]." Dean said through the cheers of the audience. "The [Bird] Pokemon. The evolved form of Pidgeotto. It can fly at twice the speed of sound at an altitude of nearly one mile."

Dean continued onto the strange move that everyone had just witnessed.

"[Featherdance]" He informed Hue. "A [Flying] Type move. The user covers the target's body with a mass of down that harshly lowers its Attack."

Ace the Pidgeot, and Hue both gave bows as they walked back towards the waiting room.

"Well, that was lucky." Hue laughed as he returned his new Pidgeot.

"I'll say." Aura said as she appeared back in her regular clothes.

The other coordinators all went, and they all did good jobs as well, but Hue had a feeling that the two finalists of this contest had already been decided.

"Attention coordinators!" The Announcer said. "Please look at the monitor to see our two finalists who will move on to the battle stage!"

 _I know that I'm using Gordon for the battle stage if I get there...so hopefully the theme will work in his favor…_

In first place, not to his surprise, was Hue himself.

 _I guess an evolution and new move in the middle of a performance will do that…_

In second place….

….

….

….

Was Cherry?

"Huh?" Hue wondered aloud.

"Well…" One of the judges said. "While all the performances were good, only two of them got creative and didn't rely on using either a Grass type or Sunny Day. As such, they stuck out a little more…"

"That's Tauros shit…" Hue muttered as Aura sighed and accepted her loss.

"You should be up there with me in finals."

"There's still six contests left, Huey!" Aura smiled, completely unphased. "Don't worry about this one! I'll battle you in the finals of the next one. Now, I'm going to go sit with the audience so that you can hear me shouting at you!"

"Heh." Hue gave a small laugh.

"You do that."

"Alright finalists!" The announcer said. "Pay attention to the theme for the Battle Stage!"

The announcer pointed to the monitor, which read:

 _ **A Knife Is Only As Sharp As Its Wielder**_

"Huh." Hue said as he looked at Gordon's pokeball.

"I think we can do this, Gordon!"

Gordon's pokeball wiggled in a nod.

"We will now begin the battle between Cherry Devonshire and Hue Swanson for the One Island Ribbon!" The announcer exclaimed as both Cherry and I took our positions at opposite ends of the battlefield on the stage.

"This will be a one on one battle, that will last for five minutes! At the end of the match, whomever has the most points remaining is the winner! In addition, should your points bar hit zero before the match ends, or should your pokemon become unable to battle, you will forfeit the match! Coordinators, are you ready?"

"Ready!" Cherry said.

"Ready." Hue nodded.

"Then send out your pokemon! Battle, Start!"

"Go!" Hue called out. "Gordon!"

"Sandslash!" Cherry shouted. "I choose you!"

"Gordon!" Hue called out. "Let's start things off with a Fury Attack!"

"Nidorino!" Gordon called out as he charged towards the Sandslash with a glowing horn and Hue took out his pokedex.

"[Sandslash]." Dean informed him. "The [Mouse] Pokemon. The evolved form of Sandshrew. It attacks opponents with the quills on its back. When it runs at full speed, it sends up a thick cloud of sand in order to hide itself."

"So those spikes are quills eh?" Hue wondered aloud.

"Sandslash!" Cherry called out. "Counter it with Fury Swipes!"

"Slasssh!" Cherry's Sandslash began to charge Gordon with glowing claws.

When both pokemon collided, Gordon was able to shove his horn into the Sandslash's chest multiple times, but Sandslash was able to quickly scratch and gash Gordon's hide for every jab that it took.

Both pokemon quickly backed away from each other and jumped back to in front of their respective trainers, each with clear wounds where the other had attacked them.

Both Hue's and Cherry's points dropped.

"Gordon!" Hue called out. "Now let's go for a Poison Jab!"

"Niiidooooo!" Gordon bellowed as his horn became cloaked in an eerie purple and he once again began to charge Sandslash.

"Trap it with Sand Tomb, Sandslash!" Cherry yelled.

"Slaaasssh!" The Sandslash rose its right arm up as a large whirl of sand began to surround Gordon, trapping him in place.

"Riiiinooo!" He wailed in agony.

"No, Gordon!" Hue yelled as he saw his points decrease.

"Now, Sandslash!" Cherry yelled. "Finish this with a Slash attack!"

"Sandslash!" The Sandslash began running as fast as it could.

 _As fast as it could!_

"Gordon!" Hue called out. "Wait there until the Sandslash reaches you, and then let loose with a Horn Drill!"

 _It's a gamble, but it's the best I've got right now…_

"Nido." Gordon nodded.

As the Sandslash drew closer to Gordon, it began to raise surrounding sand to cloak itself…

The very sand that was trapping Gordon from moving.

"Riiiinoooo!" Gordon bellowed as his horn began to both grow and glow.

The second he was able to move, he lunged forward, and a gigantic puff of sand covered the entire stadium.

As the sand settled, the buzzer sounded.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" The announcer exclaimed.

The audience shifted to the edge of their seats as the dust cleared out of the way, revealing a KO'd Sandslash on the stage floor next to a heavily panting Nidorino covered in scratch marks.

"Sandslash is unable to battle! The winner is Nidorino, which means victory goes to Hue and Gordon!"

"Go Huey!" Aura cheered from the bleachers.

"Yeah! Woo!" Diane was cheering in the seat next to her.

Hue smiled as he waved back at them.

The announcer walked up to him and held out a ribbon.

"Here you are, Hue. The One Island ribbon. How many is that for you now?"

"This is my third." Hue replied.

"Oh wow, you only need two more! Congratulations, young man!"

"Now what?" Aura asked Hue as they ate some lunch on a picnic blanket with Freddie on Treasure Beach.

"I'm not sure." Hue shrugged. "There's still a few days before the ship leaves."

"I'll tell you what _I'm_ gonna do." Freddie said as he got up from the picnic blanket and held up what Hue was absolutely sure was at least the third metal detector he had bought from the gift shop.

"I'm going to keep looking for minerals and stones."

"Let me know if you find a fire stone, yeah?" Aura asked.

"Sure, whatever." Freddie shrugged. "I don't have a pokemon that needs it anyway." He mumbled as he left.

"Um, Aura…" Hue felt the need to say. "You don't have a pokemon that evolves with a fire stone either."

"Well, not yet anyway." Aura replied. "But let's forget about that and go back to figuring out what to do,"

"We could always head up Kindle Road to see Mt. Ember. I hear it has a really nice view this time of year."

"That sounds great." Aura smiled as she began to laugh ever so slightly.

"What is it?" Hue asked. "What's so funny?"

"This." She replied. "Doesn't this take you back Huey? You, me, and even Freddie eating together in a natural setting like this? It reminds me of when we first met him back near Mt. Moon…"

"Holy crap, that feels like such a long time ago now…" Hue smiled.

"I just think its funny…" Aura continued. "That even after all this time, and everything that you've had to go through for my sake, that you're still sitting here, having a picnic with me… I guess it takes a certain sense of humor to get it.'

"No, no I get it." Hue replied. "Yeah, I have no clue why I haven't gotten the hell out of this either, but I'm glad I've stuck by you. After all, I've learned so much that I would have been completely ignorant of if you hadn't shanghaied me back in Viridian. So yeah, I may complain. Of _course_ I'll complain, but don't worry. If I could go back in time and do it all over again, I wouldn't change a single thing."

Aura looked around frantically to make sure no one was watching.

"I would." She said as she took out her Safari Ball.

"I probably would have been honest with you from the beginning." She admitted. "Because now, even though I really want to show you what's inside this pokeball, I know that if I do, I'll be even more dangerous for you to be around."

"I think you ought to know by now…" Hue said as he felt his face go red. "That I'm oblivious enough that it doesn't matter."

Aura smiled back at him, and she seemed to be ready to finally show him the pokemon she had named after him when-

*beeeeep*

"Attention Contest Cruise Coordinators, this is your captain speaking! All Coordinators please report to the Ember Spa for a mandatory relaxation break, as well as a chance to meet a very famous trainer! We have reserved the Spa for this occasion, so please make an effort to show up."

"Well…" Hue sighed as he got up off the picnic blanket and sent out Douglas to act as a small ferry across the water. "Maybe you can show me later. But for now, let's get going to Kindle Road. I wonder who the famous trainer is."

"Alright, I'll be ready to leave in a bit!" She said, and Hue turned to Douglas to see how his first pokemon was doing.

Aura looked at Karakara, who was on her lap and smiled at her, then she looked at her Safari Ball and clutched it to her heart with her right hand.

"Huey, you idiot…" She whispered as she looked up at the sky.

"How oblivious can you be?"


	59. Ember Spa

Chapter 59:

Ember Spa

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Protect, Rapid Spin, Water Pulse, Skull Bash

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Fury Cutter

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Ace(Pidgeot): Roost, Twister, Wing Attack, Feather Dance

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Egg(It doesn't seem close to hatching)

Hue's dream came to him so seamlessly that he didn't realize he had fallen asleep.

He was back on Cinnabar.

The Dragonite Girl was sitting next to him, both of them were in shock blankets.

The girl's face was still blurred by the sun and his lack of glasses.

The same events Hue had dreamt of previously happened.

His mother running up to him, Hue asking his mom if he could be a pokemon trainer, and then saying goodbye to the Dragonite Girl.

That was the moment he got his first pair of black framed glasses.

"Hey, what's your name?" She asked him. "I want to remember you properly."

"My name is Hue.' Hue replied with a smile as he held out a hand for a handshake.

"Hue Swanson. Nice to meet you! What's your name?"

The Dragonite Girl looked around, or at least Hue thought she did. It seemed like she was making sure that someone was out of earshot as she said it.

"My name's Saki." She said with a smile, or at least, Hue thought she said it with a smile.

She whispered it, as though it was a special secret.

"Saki…" Hue repeated it. "It was nice to meet you! Let's meet again someday!"

"It was nice to meet you too, Hue!" Saki replied. "And yes, let's make sure to meet again. Then we can find a real Dragonite together!"

"Listen dear…" Hue's mom came up to him. "We really must leave quickly. We can't leave your sisters all alone now, can we?"

"Mm-mm." Hue nodded as Constance led him by the hand towards a car he didn't recognize.

 _I'll see you again soon, Saki._ Hue thought to himself.

Then his dream went black, and he heard Saki's voice whisper back to him.

"Sooner than you think…"

"Saki!" Hue shouted as he woke up, to realize his head was in Aura's lap as they were both riding Douglas along the coast of Kindle Road.

Aura tilted her head.

"Sake?" She asked. "Sorry Huey, but we're not old enough to drink yet-."

"No, no…" Hue shook his head. "It's-"

He stopped short.

 _Actually...maybe talking to Aura about this isn't the best idea. She always seems uncomfortable when I bring up Subject 2…_

Hue decided to instead roll with what Aura had misheard.

"No, I...I don't want any sake." He shook his head. "I had a dream where Yiddle was force feeding it to me."

"Ooooh!" Aura snickered. "Maybe I'll tell her that in the Spa!"

"Never mind that, how long was I out?"

"Pretty long." Aura frowned. "You nodded off the second Douglas began moving. We're nearly there already."

"And you didn't try to wake me up?!"

Aura gave a sly smirk.

"But you wouldn't let me draw on your face if I woke you up…"

Hue quickly looked into the water.

"H 3 A…" Hue read the writing on his cheek.

"I'm washing this off…"

Aura giggled, proud of herself, as Douglas finally reached the beach.

"Now it's just a small trek to the Ember Spa…" Hue said, looking at a map on one of his brochures.

"Here." Aura handed Hue one of her endless supply of lemonades. "You must be thirsty."

Hue took the lemonade and began to drink it.

A devilish grin slid over Aura's face again.

"I wonder if the Spa has mixed bathing…"

Hue nearly spat out all the lemonade that Aura had just given him.

"You gave me that lemonade just to say that, didn't you?" Hue asked.

Aura put her finger to her lips and gave Hue a grinning "Shh."

"Come on then…" Hue sighed. "We don't want to be late and miss the guest speaker."

"You're late!" The captain exclaimed as both Hue and Aura walked into the Ember Spa, cloaked in nothing but bath towels.

"The guest speaker is already done lecturing…" She tapped her foot impatiently before sighing.

"Ugh...I guess...you didn't have to hear what the lecturer had to say, but you still need to get to the hot springs, so please follow the arrows on the ground.

Hue and Aura began to follow the arrows on the ground when the captain stopped Hue.

"Actually…" She said, rather nervously. "I sort of forget that we had a male coordinator with us, so…"

"Oh." Hue said, realizing that the captain had just saved him from what would have been a complete catastrophe.

"Then where's the men's spring?"

"That-a-way." The captain pointed in the opposite direction.

"And I'll be alone in there?" Hue asked, honestly a little disappointed that he wouldn't have anyone to talk to.

"I believe so, yes." The captain nodded, before putting a finger to her chin. "Actually...maybe the guest speaker is still in there, and they did request to be alone but-"

"It'll be fine." Hue said. "I'll talk to him and hopefully clear up the misunderstanding if he's still in there."

"Well, yes but-" The captain tried to say something, but Hue's towel was coming undone, and he didn't want a woman that he didn't even know to see him in his birthday suit, so he quickly hurried towards the Men's Spring.

Hue hurried into the hot spring, and instantly sunk down in the exquisite warm water.

"Ahhh…" He said as he felt his muscles relaxing.

A giant splash ruined his dozing off as someone stood up, startled by his sudden appearance.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" A woman asked as she covered her well endowed chest.

"Th-this is the men's spring!" Hue replied as he looked away and covered his eyes just in case.

"And I was told that there wouldn't be anyone in here except for maybe the guest speaker."

"Yeah, and she requested to be left perfectly _alone_!" The woman yelled.

"I-I'm sorry, Regalia…" The captain poked her head into the spring. "B-but he's one of my coordinators. He recently one the One Island contest, I sort of forgot that he was a boy though. His name is Hubert Swanson..."

 _Thanks for the blow to my masculinity, captain…_

"Hrm…" The woman named Regalia sat back down into the spring as she heard Hue's name and seemed to almost recognize it. "Well, so long as he's on his best behavior, I suppose he can stay."

"Um…" Hue looked around. "I wouldn't mind leaving and coming back in a few minutes…"

"No." Regalia gave a sly grin that reminded Hue of Aura.

Now that he thought about it…

Regalia looked an _awful_ lot like what Hue would expect Aura to look like in twenty years.

"I think some one on one time would do us some good. I've actually been trying to get a hold of you for a while now."

Hue tilted his head.

"I'm sorry, Miss Regalia, but-"

"Ms. Regalia." Regalia corrected him. "I'm a married woman, twerp."

 _Twerp? What is this? The early 90s?_

"In any case…" Hue continued. "I don't know what you'd want with me."

"Don't play dumb." Regalia rolled her eyes.

"You're Hubert Swanson, you go by Hue, you were Subject 4 in Chandler's little kidnapping stunt eight and a half years ago."

She continued. "Subject 1 was that Junzo pain in the ass. He changed his name after that but he still continued to be an absolute thorn in my side until that unfortunate demise of his. Subject 2 was that Saki girl. I've been looking everywhere for her, but I can't seem to find her no matter what I try, but I know that the two of you had a little thing going, so maybe you can't tell me where she is. And Subject 3…"

Regalia stopped herself. "Nevermind. I don't want to talk about Subject 3. They were begging me not to clue you in on their identity whatsoever if I talked to you."

"Speaking of Subject 3…" Hue said, his patience being tested by this woman who, if she was an older form of Aura, only had all of Aura's worst qualities.

"I thought Subject 3 was dead…"

"Then you're an idiot." Regalia looked at Hue with the same piercing gaze that Aura usually gave.

"Subject 3 wouldn't die if they were caught in a nuclear explosion. They're like a Durant... Pretty much nothing stops them...Except you."

"Me?" Hue was already nervous about being in a bath with a mature woman, and now not only was he angry after having to deal with her detestable nature, but he was confused because everything Regalia said made no sense to him whatsoever.

"Yes, you. Subject 3 has grown increasingly worried for you since they discovered your identity, and to be perfectly honest…" Regalia began to laugh. "I find it really, _really_ funny...After all, Subject 3 is the one that faces the most danger in this mess. But I simply can't let them run into it."

Hue still had no clue what Regalia was saying.

"Hue Swanson, you are going to cease investigating the identity of Chandler and Subject 3 effective immediately."

"Look…' Hue said with a gulp.

"I'm not going to be intimidated by you because you tell me not to do something. The fact of the matter is that the girl I'm travelling with lost her brother to Chandler and his Mewtwo, and finding out who he is means the world to her. I'm not going to stop just because you, someone I've never met, says so."

"Then allow me to introduce myself again." Regalia said as she took out a pokeball from Hue didn't want to know where.

"Garrrchomp!" A Garchomp roared as a tattoo of the Mega-evolution double helix on Regalia's left hand began to glow, and the pokemon began to Mega-evolve.

Hue held up Dean, which he had brought in a waterproof case, to the Garchomp.

"[Garchomp]." Dean informed him. "The [Mach] Pokemon. When it folds up its body and spreads its wings, it can fly like a jet plane at the speed of sound."

"My name is Regalia." She repeated. "This is my partner pokemon, Gaburias, and until that idiot, Andle Ross, came along, _I_ was the champion of the Indigo Area."

Hue gulped.

 _Alright...consider me intimidated…_

"Y-you're the former champion?"

"And soon I'll be the current champion if I can help it." She said as she looked over to the Mega-evolved Gaburias.

"Garrrchommmp." Gaburias hissed as it nodded in agreement.

"U-umm...so, I hate to say this after you came out here looking for me, but I only just remembered that Saki's name was Saki, so I don't think I can point you in her direction."

"That's ridiculous." Regalia said.

"Saki's the type of girl who would have already made contact with you."

"Well, she hasn't so far."

"I see…" Regalia looked at Hue with piercing eyes.

Her gaze gradually decreased from threatening to confused.

"Why are you not intimidated by that?"

"You wouldn't believe how often that exact glare is used on me." Hue replied.

 _And Aura still manages to succeed on occasion_ …

Regalia stared at Hue, almost as though she wished she could strangle him.

"Listen…" She said through gritted teeth. "You're in way over your head, kid. Unless you've got a pokemon capable of Mega-Evolution, you're not going to be able to stand up to Chandler and his legendary pokemon. He'll mop the floor with you. So just give up and let me reclaim my title as Champion. That way, Chandler will target me, and not your robot friend's father."

"I'm getting really tired of people calling Ethel a robot." Hue felt angry for some reason.

"I've spent time with her, and I know she has the same emotions that we all have. She already feels ostracised by being the daughter of Kanto's arguably strongest yet laziest gym leader _and_ the Champion of the Indigo area. It would probably mean the world to her if you could not try to distance her even further from everyone else."

"Damn, kid." Regalia said. "You're getting pretty rude, talking to your elder like that."

 _I'm the rude one? I'm not the one insulting an innocent young girl for no reason…_

"Kid…" Regalia returned her Garchomp.

"I think I'm beginning to understand why Subject 3 is so worried about you."

"You are?"

Regalia nodded.

"But I think they're going about this all wrong. I believe that if you _knew_ everyone's true identity, you'd be in much less danger, because…"

Regalia's piercing gaze returned.

"Just like your father, you value protecting things and people you cherish above all else right?"

Hue was surprised that she had nailed him down so well.

"H-how did you-?"

"You're not the only one with sleuth skills, twerp." Regalia smirked. "No normal person would stand up to a scary woman with a Mega-Garchomp, just because she said something a little mean about one of their friends."

"So...you'll tell me everything you know then?" Hue asked, hopeful.

"Ha!" Regalia stood up, and Hue quickly looked away. "As if! Subject 3 has a plan set in motion already under the assumption that you still don't know their identity, or the whereabouts of Saki. And to be perfectly honest, It works out better for me if you don't know anything as well. I can't have you too knowledgeable, otherwise you'd-"

Beeeeeeeeeep

"Attention coordinators!" The captain's voice echoed through the Hot Springs.

"I hope you enjoyed your trip to the Ember Spa, as well as the lecture that one of Kanto's Top Coordinator's gave."

Hue's mouth dropped as he pointed at a now toweled Regalia who gave him a boastful nod.

"In any case…" The captain continued. "Our ship is currently docked by Mt. Ember, so please make your way there. We won't be departing for some time, so I suggest you form groups and walk around the volcano. It'll be a nice nature hike."

*Mt. Ember*

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe barked excitedly as he ran in circles around Hue and Aura as they walked around on Mt. Ember.

"It says here…" Hue said, reading his brochure. "That sometimes the top of Mt. Ember flickers with light at night…"

"Hm?" Aura wondered aloud. "Do you think maybe a really rare pokemon is up there?"

"I don't know." Hue shrugged. He looked at Gumshoe. "But I know that Gumshoe is enjoying the volcanic atmosphere."

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe barked happily again.

Aura smiled as she looked down at Karakara in her hands. "You like the mountain, Karakara?"

"Booone!" Karakara beamed back up at Aura.

"G'lade." Arthur nodded as he carried the Egg that Hue had won.

"So if it's blue, you're giving it to Davon?" Aura asked.

"Only if he wants it." Hue replied. "Ideally, I get to keep whatever it hatches into though."

"What if it hatches into a pokemon you already have?" Aura asked. "Like what if it hatches into a Rhyhorn. You have five of those, and you only ever use the shiny one."

"Well, the others…" Hue began. "They've already been put to work as plowers for Professor Oak. But you're right, I don't know what I'll do if something like that happens. I mean, having another of the same pokemon would be interesting I guess, but I'd like to avoid it if at all possible."

"I wouldn't worry about it too much." Helen Lang laughed from behind both Hue and Aura. "Those eggs always tend to be rare pokemon, or pokemon from another region."

"Helen?" Hue asked in surprise. "When did you get here?"

"About when you sent out your pokemon thinking that they'd like to walk with you." Helen said.

"Drill?" Koko, Aura's Beedrill descended from the sky, along with Ace, Hue's Pidgeot in order to greet Helen's Electabuzz and Hitmonlee, who were both walking with her.

"Where's your Rhydon?" Hue asked. "I'd think that he'd like this."

"Well…" Helen sighed. "Rhydon is currently in Kanto, and also…"

Aura's eyes widened as she realized what Helen was going to say next. It took a lot of energy to keep her laughter in.

"My Rhydon is a female pokemon." Helen finished.

Hue sighed a sigh of dismay.

 _One day...one day I shall break this curse for good._

"So Helen.." Aura continued the conversation as the three of them walked ever higher up Mt. Ember.

"What's with you not hanging out with Carmen right now?"

"Well…" Helen looked away. "I wanted to test something, and it felt better to leave Carmen out of it."

She looked down at a pokeball on her belt.

"It has to do with my Kangaskhan and Mega-Evolution, and in order for me to test it, I need to climb to the top of Mt. Ember. After all, that's where it's supposed to live."

"Where what is supposed to live?"

"H-hey Huey!" Aura pointed towards the summit of Mt. Ember. There was a strange light, barely visible from where Hue, Aura, and Helen were, flickering at the top of the volcano.

"It's the light! The flickering light."

"Raise your pokedexes." Helen said. "That's no light."

"It's still too far away…" Hue lamented. "Dean can't get a good read on it."

"G'lade…." Arthur seemed transfixed on the flickering light.

"Is that?" Aura asked, almost visibly worried.

"Helen, that isn't Moltres is it?"

"Well…" Helen gave a nervous laugh. "I mean, it's never been _proven_ but...That's what the locals believe."

"You were going to challenge Moltres to a battle with Mega Kangaskhan?" Hue asked in dismay.

"Helen, I get that Mega-Evolution is powerful but-..."

He looked around before he asked in a whisper. "Remember Lavender town? The power of these things is unreal…"

"You don't get it." Helen sighed.

"I'm not going to battle it with the intention of winning a battle straight on."

She took out her Master Ball.

"I'm going to _catch_ Moltres…."

Aura and Hue looked at each other.

"I have a sneaking feeling that won't work, Helen…" Aura said as she bit her thumb and looked away.

"Remember when all three birds were seen in Celadon?" Hue asked her.

She nodded, grimly.

"That was roughly before I learned that you were one of those unfortunate trainers."

"Well…" Hue continued. "Chandler hinted that the birds belonged to him…"

"In that case…" Helen sighed. "I'm glad that I'll have the two of you with me for support…."

She balled her hands up into fists.

"Because now I want to take down that flaming chicken of a bird even more."

"G'lade…." Arthur seemed to still be transfixed on the summit of the volcano.

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe ran around him, keeping him from walking off the mountain with the Egg he was holding.

"Moltres...Moltres…" Hue scrolled through Dean's archives manually.

"Heh." He laughed. He turned to Aura. "This reminds me of when I would look for details of whatever pokemon you were trying to catch."

"Huey…" Aura quite visibly didn't want to be doing this. "I...I don't want this to be a repeat of what happened last time."

She wasn't even trying to hide the fact that she was blushing. "I was so embarrassed with myself and worried about you back in Seafoam...I really don't want to have to go through that again…"

"Seafoam?" Helen asked as she tilted her head.

"What happened to you in Seafoam?"

"My phobia of the cold and snow and stuff became a well-founded fear." Aura answered. "That was really traumatic for me."

"It was traumatic for _you_?!" Hue asked as his voice rose a bit. "Imagine how _I_ must have felt down there! Like, five times at least I thought you weren't going to make it! My eyes were nearly frozen shut from the tears they were creating! We're lucky that Ethel managed to reach us when she did, because if she didn't we'd both be corpses at the bottom of that cavern by now!"

"..."

"..."

Both Aura and Hue looked away from each other, with their faces red.

"Okay…" Helen said. "I probably shouldn't have asked that...But please, just help me out. This won't play out like Seafoam or Lavender Town, I promise."

Aura and Hue looked at each other, and collectively sighed, before they both nodded at Helen's proposal.

As the three of them reached the summit, Helen sighed in disappointment.

There was no moltres in sight.

The light they had seen was from the magma, bubbling inside the crater.

"What a waste of time…" Helen sighed again.

"Well, at least the view is nice…" Hue said as he looked out at the rest of One Island.

"It does feel really great to be standing here." Aura agreed. "I'm glad we made this hike."

"Hey…" Helen said, to get both of their attention. "On Two Island…" She began.

"Come find me before the Contest on Two Island, and I'll teach your pokemon some good moves." She said. "Consider it my thanks for making this trek with me even though neither of you wanted to."

"G'lade…" Arthur kept staring into the crater, at the boiling magma.

"Arthur? You feeling okay buddy?" Hue asked. "You've been focused on the magma for some time now…"

"G'lade…"Arthur said as he kept staring at the magma.

He handed Hue the Pokemon Egg, and began to slide down the crater.

"Arthur, what are you doing?" Hue asked in complete disbelief.

"Gallade!" Arhtur called back.

"Hitmonlee!" Helen ordered. "Follow that Gallade! Make sure he doesn't do anything stupid!"

"Lee!" Helen's Hitmonlee nodded as it began to slide down towards the magma as well.

"Gallade." Arthur stuck his arm out as he stopped, in order to stop Helen's Hitmonlee.

"G'lade." He pointed to a strange statue of some pokemon that not even Hue recognized.

"What kind of pokemon is that a statue of?"

He pulled out Dean.

"No Data Available." Dean beeped.

"Oh no…" Hue mumbled. "Arthur! Get out of there! If whatever that thing is is actually around here somewhere, we need to leave."

"What's wrong?" Aura asked.

"I don't know what it is…" Hue said as he held up Dean to Aura.

"But I know its a legendary pokemon…"

"Hitmonlee, you come back up too!" Helen called.

Everyone returned their pokemon, in order for better mobility.

"Well, let's head back to the ship…" Aura began when the mountain began to rumble.

"That doesn't sound good…" Helen said as Hue's pokedex started to ring.

"H-hue!" Freddie's voice said frantically as he shouted.

"Hue, you gotta help me out right now! You know how Aura asked me to find a fire stone?"

Another rumble was heard coming from the crater of the mountain.

"Freddie, what did you do?"

"Nothing! I just picked it up off the pedestal...but when I realized it wasn't a fire stone and I went to put it back, the thing shattered!"

The volcano rumbled some more.

"And now there's this strange magma tortoise thing chasing both me and Twilight's down here too! It's not showing up in my pokedex, so I thought you could-"

"Freddie, what the hell did you do?" Hue asked again.

WeeeeeeeoooooooooooooowiiiiiiiiiiiiuuuuuuuuuuWaaaaaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuuwiiiiiiiiioooooooo

"Coordinators!" The captains voice sounded frantic. "This is mandatory evacuation of Mt. Ember! The volcano is about to erupt! The ship will leave within the hour without exception! Please ensure your own safety before ensuring the safety of others!"

"Hue!" Freddie yelled through the phone. "We're trapped inside the volcano! We need help man! I don't wanna die! I don't want to be swallowed by lava! I'll be your butler for the rest of my life if I have to, but please, help us out here!"

"Please tell, me that the two of you heard that…" Hue said to Aura and Helen.

"No way I'm letting Freddie die before I've defeated him in a battle." Aura said as she put her hand on Hue's shoulder.

"If you're going down there, I'm going with you."

"I'll go down there too." Helen said. "If we're lucky, I might even be able to…" She looked down at her Master Ball.

"Guuuuooooohhhhhhhh!" A large roar was heard through the area.

"Was that the pokemon or the volcano?" Aura asked, visibly scared as she clung to Hue's arm.

"Hue!" Deus yelled inside his head, causing an unbearable pain at exactly the wrong time.

"The entrance to the caves is back at the base of the mountain! Run!"

Hue didn't argue, and hoisted Aura over his shoulder before he grabbed Helen's wrist with his other hand and began to run at the extraordinarily fast speed that Deus had granted him.

"Guuuapooohhhh!" The volcano itself made the noise as magma began to overflow.

The lava rushed down the volcano, eroding everything it touched.

"Huey, if you can, run faster!" Aura said.

"I'm already going as fast as I possibly can!" Hue replied. "Can you grab onto me for a little bit?" He asked.

Aura nodded and wrapped herself around him.

 _Oh my goodness, that's really tight!_

Hue dispelled all thoughts that instantly flew into his head and took out Dean with his free hand.

"Freddie, are you still there?"

Silence.

"Freddie..?"

Silence.

"Freddie?!"

Silence….


	60. Mt Ember Erupts

Chapter 60:

Mt. Ember Erupts

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Protect, Rapid Spin, Water Pulse, Skull Bash

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Fury Cutter

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Ace(Pidgeot): Roost, Twister, Wing Attack, Feather Dance

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Egg(It doesn't seem close to hatching)

"He's not answering!" Hue said, worried, as he struggled to outrun the flowing lava.

"There!" Helen pointed as Hue dragged her by the wrist. "There's an entrance inside the volcano!"

"How are you holding up, Aura?" Hue asked Aura, whom he was still carrying over his shoulder.

"N-no...not again….not here...not now…" She was mumbling to herself in frantic breaths.

Out of the corner of Hue's eyes he could see the fear on her face.

"Aura!"

Her grip on him tightened even further.

Hue could feel his arm and legs losing circulation.

The three of them ran into the dark and overheated cave that Helen had pointed to.

Hue didn't stop. While most of the lava past them by, some followed them into the area.

As the magma lit the cavern, Hue noticed a light at the end of a passageway.

It was probably a room flooded with lava but there was nowhere else to run.

"You know…." Helen said as she struggled to not lose her footing at the pace Hue was going.

"They say that when Entei roars, a volcano erupts. Do you think?"

"That turtle-thing was not Entei…" Hue answered.

"We need to figure out what that turtle thing is!"

"W-...ve….." Aura tried to say something, but a combination of her heavy panting and the occasional rumbles that the volcano experienced blocked Hue and Helen from hearing any of it.

"Hue, where are we going?" Helen asked.

"Towards that light!" Hue replied.

"But we don't know what's there! It could be a bunch of lava!"

"There's a bunch of lava right behind us, too!" Hue countered. "And since we don't have a Rhydon with lava proof armor to pile up on, we can't afford to get caught in it."

"I didn't know Mt. Ember would erupt!" Helen took Hue's merely observational remark a little more personally than he had anticipated.

The three finally reached the end of the tunnel and Hue instantly stopped, keeping everyone from falling into the vast pit of magma below.

The lava behind them was slowly catching up.

"There's a small island of land over there!" Helen pointed to what looked to be the almost center of the cavern.

"How do we reach there before-?" Hue began as Helen sent out her Hitmonlee.

"Hitmonlee." Helen's Hitmonlee nodded as Hue let go of Helen's wrist and gently put Aura down on the ground, though this did not stop her from clinging to Hue's jacket like her life depended on it.

"Lee…" Helen's Hitmonlee extended his legs and carried Aura across to the platform in the center.

She was clinging to Hue's jacket so tightly that she ended up taking it with her.

"Hit…." Helen's Hitmonlee moved back and picked up Hue to take him across, and then returned for Helen.

"Guuooooaaoohhhhh!" The volcano made a low rumbling noise as a rockslide began to descend onto Helen.

"Helen!" Hue and Aura both managed to call out.

Helen looked up at them just in time as a large rockslide fell down behind her, blocking the path out of the crater and causing her to fall until her Hitmonlee caught her with one leg, just before she reached the magma below.

"Mon...:Leee!" Helen's Hitmonlee tossed Helen onto the platform.

"Ugh…" Helen rubbed her shoulder as she stood up and the three watched as the lava began to seep through the cracks in the fallen rocks and flow into the magma below.

Hue felt a small shove against his back and noticed that Aura was gasping as she tried to put Hue's jacket back on.

She was absolutely losing her cool.

"Aura, what's wrong? This isn't like you at all…" Hue said, incredibly concerned.

"N-not another one…." She stammered.

"W...We couldn't do anything in Lavender Town...We couldn't do anything in Seafoam…"

She was beet red, and Hue wasn't sure whether it was her embarrassment at what she was saying, of it if was the heat that was causing Aura's face to go red like that.

"And even though our friends are down here somewhere…"

She hung her head low, but her last few words were the loudest she had spoken since the volcano erupted.

"And we can't do anything here either!" She yelled as some more rocks fell into the magma below.

Hue couldn't think of a response to that.

"B-but…" He tried. "Fr-"

"There was no answer on the pokedex." Aura slumped to the ground. "We should assume the worst…"

Hue looked down and hung his head low as well.

"I guess….that's...a possibility…"

 _What are we doing here?_ He thought more to Deus than anyone else. _Why did I run to where I knew it was dangerous, and where I knew Aura didn't want to go? What was it that came over me? We're going to die in here if this keeps up. And the ship will leave without us…_

Helen clenched her fists.

"...rds…". She mumbled.

Both Hue and Aura rose their heads slightly to look at her.

"Cowards!" She yelled, so loudly it was still clearly audible above the rumble of the volcano.

"So maybe no one answered your pokedex! So maybe we haven't come across either of your friends yet! Maybe you're both regretting running towards clear danger when we told to run away from it! I can understand doubt. Doubt is only natural. Negative emotions and feelings are only natural…"

Helen's hands moved so quickly that her punch to Hue's gut took him completely by surprise.

"Oof…" He bent over as he fell to his knees, bringing Aura, who was still clinging to his jacket, down with him.

"What I can't understand, or forgive...is the fact that after coming this far, the second things start looking bleak...You just want to abandon everything you've been working for and give up like that!"

She pulled both Hue and Aura's heads up by grabbing their hair.

Hue's glasses fell off his face.

"You!" Helen looked at Hue. "You're constantly spewing talk about wanting to become stronger so that you can protect others! Guess what? It's a fucking dangerous and often thankless job! Do you honestly believe that just because you're standing up for someone that the danger facing them will magically disappear? That's not how life works! You'll be put in danger too! There's nothing wrong with standing up for others! But if you're going to bail on your friends when it's clear that they're in danger and need you even more than usual, you shouldn't stand up for anyone at all! Back in Lavender Town and on the SS Anne, I thought you had a spine. Or do you not remember running directly towards members of a criminal syndicate? Look at the girl next to you!"

Helen pointed to Aura.

"She's scared and out of her wits, and is quite literally clinging to you for support! Imagine how unsafe she must feel seeing you so ready to give up! She's already doubting herself, and all you're doing is giving her further doubt!"

She turned to Aura.

"And you...you who wants to go on a never ending crusade against NTR to avenge your brother...What did you think would happen? This organization is not afraid to kill if it benefits them! You should know this more than anyone! So why are you so afraid now? Because you don't know what pokemon is causing the volcano to erupt? Or is it because you blame yourself for all the danger you've been putting _him_ in?"

Helen pointed to Hue.

"Well guess what? He's _still_ here! And it sure as hell isn't because he feels obligated by it! Furthermore, why are you even going on this crusade against NTR in the first place, Aura? Do you really think that your brother would condone the actions you've taken? You aren't the only person who wants to see Chandler behind bars!"

She turned back to Hue.

"And you aren't the only person who wants to protect the people they cherish!"

Helen was switching between both Hue and Aura now,

"Every ribbon I've won….Every badge I've earned…..All the pokemon I've caught and trained...and everything I've done for the past eight and a half years have _all_ been for both those goals, but unlike the two of you, I've been trying to oppose the actions of NTR as little as possible? Know why? Because I know that PJ wouldn't want to see me die with the same crazed look as the man who murdered him!"

Helen took a small moment to catch her breath.

"Now, do you still want to run?" She asked rhetorically.

"Because if you do, then I have some news for you. On the paths that you, that _both_ of you, have chosen, you aren't allowed to run away from anything. No. If you're going to run...It _has_ to be forward. You can doubt all you want. It's healthy. It's a normal emotion to have. But your faith should always be stronger! Faith that somehow, no matter what happens...you'll be able to succeed in what you've set out to do! That's how you can keep running forward despite doubt!"

Aura's eyes widened.

"That's exactly what-..." She mumbled as she slowly let go of Hue's jacket and stood up on her own.

Helen gave Aura a strange smile.

"I get it now." Aura smiled back. "I remember those words exactly…"

Hue stood up, confused.

"Am I missing something?" He asked.

"O-oh…" Aura looked up to Helen with what appeared to be a pleading face.

Helen sighed and nodded.

"I didn't recognize her because it had been so long…" Aura said. "But this is my pseudo sister, Helly!"

 _What kind of nickname is 'Helly'?_

Hue tilted his head. "Pseudo sister? Wait! Is she the cousin you were talking about back in the lab?"

 _I did think she looked like she could be Aura's cousin when we first met her..._

"You told him about your cousin?" Helen asked, surprised.

"Well, he just knows I have one." Aura replied. She turned to Hue. "And no, sorry Huey, Helly isn't related to me at all. Not even through multiple marriages or anything like that. The reason I call her my pseudo sister is because she would always play with both me and Phineas while we were living on the street."

 _But seriously, what kind of nickname is 'Helly'?_

"I'd sneak them all sorts of food and bread from my father's house." Helen said with a bit of a nervous laugh. "And to be honest, I hardly recognized Aura at first either. After all...she had brown, albeit very dark brown, hair as a child. It must have darkened as she grew."

Aura gave a grin.

Hue could see Aura's realization was helping her not feel as afraid.

 _How could we be so similar?_

Hue thought to himself with a shy smile of his own as he reflected on the fact that he couldn't remember what Saki, the Dragonite Girl, even looked like.

"I missed you Helly!" Aura hugged Helen, who seemed taken aback by the sudden shift in attitude.

"H-hey, I'm supposed to be chewing you out here-" She began as Hue finally took a look around the room.

"You can chew us out later." He said. "But we really ought to find Freddie and Twilight first."

Helen gave Hue a nod, pleased that he understood what she was trying to tell him.

Hue's eyes darted around the room.

As they did so, the area on his stomach where Helen had punched began to feel a tad sore, the same way his head used to feel when he did these things. Now the pain he was experiencing in his head was so large, he couldn't really process it until after he was done looking around.

 _I must look so paranoid right now..._ He thought to himself.

"You have reason to be." Deus replied, as Hue noticed and pointed to a small tunnel in the cavern wall across a large lake of magma.

"Look!" He said to Aura and Helen. "In there! I think I see both Twilight and Freddie!"

"They look like they're trapped in the cavern wall!" Aura exclaimed.

"They might be…" Helen said. "We should focus on getting them untrapped and onto our platform with us."

"You have bigger problems to worry about…" Deus said to Hue.

"We have bigger problems to worry about…" Hue repeated to Helen and Aura as he let Deus guide his hand to the tunnel above where Freddie and Twilight appeared to be trapped.

"You have some hostile pokemon after you." Deus said as the strange reddish orange tortoise with yellow spots and various metal plates crawled out, its metal clamps allowing it to stick to the cavern wall.

"Wait…" Hue said as Helen readied a pokeball. " _Some_ hostile pokemon? As in more than one?"

"Yes." Deus replied as another, larger pokemon of whatever species with was rose from the magma itself and crawled onto the platform with Hue, Helen, and Aura.

"Heatran…." It echoed in a deep voice.

"H-Heatran?" Aura looked to Hue, who shook his head.

"Not a pokemon I'm familiar with…"

They both looked at Helen.

"I'm not sure either." She said as she enlarged the pokeball she was holding and tossed it up. "But if Hue says that it's a legendary pokemon...Then it's a perfect subject for my experiment!"

She sent out her Kangaskhan and tapped the keystone along her waist.

"Khaaan!" The Kangaskhan roared as both the parent and child grew, and the child jumped out of the parent's pouch.

"The two of us will deal with the Heatran, or whatever it is, that's on our platform." Helen said as she motioned to her now Mega Kangaskhan. "You two keep the other one busy!"

"But what type is it?" Aura asked.

"I don't know about you, Aura…" Hue said as he adjusted his glasses. "But I personally think that they might be, at the very least, Fire types."

"The only pokemon I have that can fly over there to distract though…" Aura began as she held up Koko's pokeball.

Hue nodded as he held up Ace's pokeball as well. "I'll cover you as best I can too." He said.

Aura nodded back and the two sent out their Beedrill and Pidgeot.

"Remember…" Helen began as the Heatran on the platform began to close in on them.

"We made this choice, so we have to follow it through with conviction."

Hue and Aura both nodded.

"Trannnn!" The Heatran on the platform roared, as a crack formed through the center of the platform and a large amount of raw energy shot out of the crack, instantly breaking the platform in half, trapping itself and Helen on one half that drifted towards where Hue, Aura, and Helen had entered from.

Hue and Aura began to float towards the other Heatran on their half of the platform.

"What attack was that?" Hue asked Dean.

"[Earth Power]." Dean stated. "A [Ground] Type attack. The user makes the ground under the target erupt with power. It may also lower the target's special defense."

"So it might be a special attacker…" Aura said, feeling just a small amount of relief as Koko buzzed around her.

"Koko's special defense is actually rather good." She winked at Hue.

"Oh my goodness…" Hue said as he held Dean up to Koko and then to Ace.

"I didn't know you had a better special defense than my Pidgeot."

"Pidgeot…" Ace cooed as if she was trying to justify a reason for having less base special defense than a bee.

"Ready Kangaskhan?" Helen asked her Mega Kangaskhan.

"Khan!" Both parent and child nodded back at her.

"Then let's see how this fire tortoise deals with a Mega Punch from both of you!"

"Kangassss…." The parent yelled as it began to throw a Mega Punch in the Heatran's direction.

"Khaaaaannn!" The child yelled as both parents landed a Mega Punch on the Heatran at the same time, and jumped back to Helen.

"Tran…" The Heatran shook its head, a little disturbed by the attack, but clearly not feeling much pain.

"Hrm…" Helen squinted her eyes and stroked her chin.

"If a Normal attack doesn't do well against it...then maybe it's also part…"

"Traaaan!" The Heatran roared as a large Heat Wave emanated from its body and shot towards Helen and her Kangaskhan, who both braced the intense heat together.

"Khan?" The parent asked the child.

"Khan." The child replied.

"Khan!" They both gave thumbs up to Helen.

"Right…" Helen nodded as she took out her Master Ball.

"Or no…" She put it back in as she shook her head. "We can defeat this. We'll use the Master Ball on the other one if we have to."

She pointed towards the Heatran.

"Now Kangaskhan, use Sucker Punch!"

"Khan!" The parent gave the Heatran a large punch, causing the fiery tortoise-like monster to skid back across the platform.

"Did I just see what I thought I saw?" Hue asked as the younger Kangaskhan gave a similar punch, with a similar effect.

"Trannn.." The Heatran grunted.

"Is that...Is that legendary pokemon in _pain_?"

"Heh." Helen laughed with a smile.

"You saw what you thought you saw."

Hue could see her eyes twinkling. A hypothesis of hers had been proven correct after all.

"Heatrannn!" The Heatran on the platform roared as the magma around the platform that Helen was on began to rise and shoot itself around her Mega Kangaskhan.

"Khaaaaaa-" The child wailed in agony as the parent picked it up and shielded it from further attack.

"Khannnnn…" The parent grunted.

"What move was that?" Hue asked as he rose Dean up towards the move.

"This move is the signature move of a pokemon whose data is not currently registered in this pokedex." Dean answered, completely unhelpfully.

"Kangaskhan!" Helen called out.

"Return!"

She tried to return her pokemon but failed, as the giant storm of magma surrounding the Mega Kangaskhan raged on, causing even more damage to the parent and child pair.

"This thing is too strong for us after all…" Helen lamented as she took out her Master Ball.

"It looks like I'll have to use this."

Before she could throw it, A claw, attached to a dark blue fin with a ton of dust trailing it, grabbed her wrist.

Helen looked back to see a Garchomp and…

"Y-you…" Helen's eyes got smaller with something that Hue couldn't equate to any emotion other than hatred as she looked on at Regalia, the former champion.

"Me." Regalia gave a sigh.

"I'd think long and hard about if you want to throw _that_ Master Ball and _that_ Pokemon." Regalia said.

"Gaburias?" She called as the Mach pokemon let go of Helen's wrist and faced the Heatran.

"Could you be a lamb and Mega Evolve for me?" She asked as the double helix symbol on her hand began to shine again.

"What the?" Helen seemed confused. "That's impossible!" She exclaimed as Gaburias began to mega evolve. "You need a _keystone_ to mega evolve pokemon!"

Regalia gave a yawn, and paid no attention to Helen or Helen's Kangaskhan, instead focusing solely on the Heatran.

"Use Sand Tomb."

"Garrrrchomp!" Gaburias roared as it jetted towards the Heatran and used the dust it kicked up as the start of a Sand Tomb attack.

"T-Trannn!" The Heatran wobbled as it fell over.

"But how?" Helen asked in complete and utter disbelief.

"You were close if it makes you feel any better." Regalia said as Helen's Kangaskhan reverted back to its normal form and returned itself to Helen's pokeball.

"Unfortunately, that Heatran was a little too high-level for you. Unless you can match the level, or have a great type advantage, your best bet would be using a pseudo-legendary to stand up to pokemon like that."

Regalia looked at the second Heatran, which was crawling down the wall of the cavern.

"That one is only a baby." She said as she noticed Freddie and Twilight.

"Hrm…" She looked at Gaburias.

"Want to get them out with a Dragon Rush?" She asked.

"Chomp." The Mega Garchomp nodded as it rushed to the wall and broke both trainers free, carrying them in its scythe-like arms, back to the platform where Helen was.

"Hey, Regalia!" Hue called.

"What about us?"

Regalia looked over at Hue and Aura.

Aura looked at Hue.

"You know that woman?" She asked, surprised.

"That's the former champion of the Indigo Area." Hue replied. "She said her name was Regalia."

Aura looked back towards Regalia and nodded.

Regalia's stare did not seem friendly.

She sighed as she sent out another pokemon.

"Haganeil…" She sounded so apathetic about bringing Hue and Aura to the platform with everyone else on it.

"Steelix…" The pokemon said as it stretched its long body for Hue and Aura to use as a bridge between platforms.

"Thank you Haganeil." Hue smiled at the Steelix.

"Steelix." Haganeil humphed.

Aura smiled at Haganeil as she crossed as well.

This time Haganeil smiled back.

"So what do we do about the baby Heatran?" Helen asked as Hue and Aura returned Ace and Koko and ran up to their friends.

"Freddie, Twilight!" Hue exclaimed.

"Don't bother." Regalia said.

Hue turned back to her.

"What do you mean don't bother?"

"I mean exactly what you just heard." Regalia said. "Don't bother with trying to talk to them. They're not going to wake up or recover from this for a long time, if at all."

"How long will it take?" Hue asked seriously.

"It could be any amount of time." Regalia sighed. "From weeks, to months, to years, to decades…"

"B-but-!" Aura began.

"But nothing!" Regalia snapped at her. "Your stupid friends made a foolish mistake and are now paying the consequences for it! And you brats are lucky enough that I even decided to check out the volcano at all! I didn't come here to help any of you, you know. I came here looking for Moltres."

"Because Chandler owns Moltres." Hue said, seriously.

Regalia looked over at him.

"Return, Haganeil." She said as she returned her Steelix.

She then took out yet another pokeball.

"Nendoll." She announced with another sigh.

"Clayyydoolllll…" The Claydoll hummed as it floated around.

"Everyone touch it." Regalia ordered. "We're leaving the volcano."

"What about the stone that Freddie took?" Hue asked.

"So he's responsible for taking the Magma Stone?" Regalia asked as she looked at Freddie.

"What an imbecile…"

She turned back to Hue.

"He doesn't have it on him, so the most we can do is leave before Mt. Ember erupts again."

"You mean we can't fix this?" Aura asked, almost horrified.

"Teleport." Regalia said as everyone touched the Claydoll.

Instantly, they were all on board the ship as it began to set sail.

Regalia turned to Aura.

"That's right, twerp." She said.

"Your friend doomed the residents of One Island, and that's a mistake that you can't fix, no matter how hard you try."

Regalia turned to Freddie and Twilight. "I'll take both of them with me. Hopefully they'll be able to make a fast recovery, but if they end up going...the other way...don't say I didn't warn you."

Before Hue could say anything, anything at all, Regalia, her pokemon, and Twilight and Freddie had all disappeared.

"Huey! Aura!" Diane ran up to them and threw her arms around them.

"I was soooo worried about you!" She said with a muffled voice through both their shoulders.

She pulled away from them and took a deep breath.

"I looked all over the ship and I couldn't find you guys anywhere…Didn't you hear me calling?"

"We...we must have missed it." Aura lied as she bit her nail and looked away.

"You…" Helen pointed at Diane.

"Me?" Diane asked.

"You travel with Ethel Ross if I'm not mistaken, correct?"

"O-oh…" Diane grinned as she scratched the back of her head. "Well, Ethel doesn't need the contest ribbons from this cruise, so she's back in Kanto right now, but yeah. We're gonna meet up in Pallet Town later and stuff."

"And stuff." Hue repeated with a grin.

"Shush, you." Diane gave a small growl.

"In that case…" Helen said. "I'll train you, too."

Diane looked at Hue and Aura, who both nodded.

 _That's right…_ Hue remembered. _Helen was talking about giving us some great training…_

"Gahhh…" Hue instantly doubled over as he finished the thought.

"My stomach…" He moaned.

"Helen, that punch hurt more than I thought…"

"Huey?" Aura asked concerned as she reached to pull up his shirt.

"N-no!" Hue said as he tried to fight her. "Don't look at it!"

"Hue…" Helen said, sternly. "Don't look at what?"

"Ahem." Diane fake coughed so that Aura would let her try.

In one swift movement, she had lifted Hue's shirt off of him.

There was a bruise on Hue's stomach.

It was in the shape of a perfect circle.

It was a neon green.

Aura began to back away, fear clear in her eyes.

"What is that?" Diane asked.

"I have no idea…" Helen began.

She turned to Hue as Aura backed away further, her breathing becoming more rapid with each step.

"It hurts…" Hue complained. "Like...Like appendicitis level hurts…"

"Can I touch it?" Diane asked as she slowly lifted her finger.

"Nyoooooo!" Aura screamed so loud that her voice cracked as she ran up and slapped Diane's finger away, and put her arms out in front of Hue.

"No one touch him there! No one do anything to him!"

"Aura..." Helen began. "Do you know what's going on with Hue?"

"Helly…" Aura turned to Helen as Diane and Hue gave each other serious, mutually concerned looks.

Aura paused before she said it, and Hue could tell that even as the words left her mouth, she wished she wasn't saying them.

"This is exactly what started happening to PJ…The moment Chandler and Mewtwo murdered him….."

Helen accidentally dropped her Master Ball on the floor.

Diane covered her hands in a gasp.

Hue looked down at the circular green bruise with a newfound fear.

After all…

He was dying.


	61. Two Island Tango

Chapter 61:

Two Island Tango

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Protect, Rapid Spin, Water Pulse, Skull Bash

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Fury Cutter

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Ace(Pidgeot): Roost, Twister, Wing Attack, Feather Dance

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Egg(It doesn't seem close to hatching)

"Huey?" Aura asked as she entered the room where Hue was curled up on his bed.

"Are you feeling up for the contest or any training?" She seemed worried.

"Y-yeah…" Hue yawned as he got out of bed, very slowly.

The neon green and circular bruise on his stomach felt sore.

He almost started to rub it when-

"No!" Aura said as she grabbed his wrist.

"I toss and turn in my sleep each night, Aura…" Hue yawned again. "I think i'll be fine if I'm gentle with it."

"I just don't want to take any chances…" Aura replied as she slowly loosened her grip on Hue's wrist, though she didn't let go.

"Are you absolutely sure you're okay to do this?" Aura asked again.

"I'm fine." Hue smiled at her. "We don't want to keep Helen and Diane waiting do we?"

"I guess not…" Aura scanned Hue with her piercing eyes, looking for some sort of tell, and failing to find one.

Hue gave a small sigh of relief as Aura began to drag him out of the room. It had taken everything he had in him to not stutter and give away his ineptitude of lying on the spot.

"We've already docked on Two Island." Aura told him as she led him through a small town.

"It's said that the casualties of the Mt. Ember eruptions in One Island are reaching the hundreds…" A TV playing the news echoed from a nearby house.

Aura's pace began to speed up.

"H-hey…" Hue began. "Please don't go that fast. It hurts when I run…"

Aura reluctantly slowed down.

"I don't want to hear what the news says about the eruptions."

"Hey, it wasn't your fault…" Hue tried to comfort her.

"But I asked for Freddie to find a Fire Stone!" Aura snapped. "And then we couldn't even stop those Heatran or whatever they were from rampaging! We had to be saved by _that_ woman of all people!"

"I get that she's not exactly the nicest person, but why does it sound like you have a personal vendetta against her?" Hue asked.

Aura seemed shocked.

"I...don't…" She bit her nail and looked away.

 _You liar. I'll find out the truth of the matter one way or another…_

"Huey?" Diane asked as she met Hue and Aura at the bottom of some steps up to Cape Brink.

"You feeling good enough to train?"

"I think so…" Hue smiled.

"You said in your room that you were sure…" Aura's eyes gave him a piercing gaze.

Hue gave a nervous laugh and smile.

"Well, we're already here…" Aura sighed. "Now take your time going up each step."

Hue did as he was told and the three of them walked up the steps towards where Helen was waiting for them.

It was by a lake, which connected to another small lake at the base of the seps via a serene waterfall.

"This is Cape Brink." Helen said.

"About one year ago, Justin Mercer, Carmen Yiddle, and I all came here with our starter pokemon and were taught amazing moves by a kind woman living here." Helen said.

She turned to Hue, Aura and Diane.

"As such, I'd like to teach the same moves to each of your starter pokemon. They're very powerful moves and not to be taken lightly. Do you understand?"

Hue, Aura, and Diane all nodded.

"I mean it." Helen replied. "Your pokemon will be unable to act immediately after using this move because they will need to recharge their energy. You should only use moves like these when you believe it is absolutely necessary."

"What are the moves?" Aura asked.

"For Fushi, Aura…" Helen said. "Is a move called Frenzy Plant."

 _I think Ethel used that move in battle against me…_

Helen turned to Diane.

"For Charolette, Diane…" Helen said. "Is a move known as Blast Burn."

Diane's eyes flickered with excitement.

"Blast Burn…" She said the name back to Helen.

 _I don't want to have to battle Didi's Charizard if it's going to know a move like that…_

Helen finally turned to Hue.

"And for Douglas, Hue…" She said. "The move, Hydro Cannon."

 _And I probably don't want to know what Aura can do with Frenzy Plant either…_

"Hue…" Helen snapped her fingers.

"Huey…" Aura waved her hand in front of Hue.

"Yeah?" Hue asked her. "What is it?"

"Were you listening to what Helen said?" Diane asked.

"Yeah, you got Blast Burn, right?"

Aura shook her head.

"No, she was talking to you."

"If you're still feeling tired and out of it, we can do this some other time…" Helen said with concern.

"No, no, I'm fine." Hue shook his head. "What move is Douglas learning again?"

"Hydro Cannon." Helen responded.

"It's a very powerful move, so I'd really have you in top condition if you want to learn it."

"I told you, I'm fine." Hue said as he sent out Douglas.

"We're good to go, right buddy?"

"Toiiiseee!" Douglas bellowed enthusiastically.

"See?" Hue presented his 'proof'.

"Alright then…" Helen sighed.

"Everyone else send your starter pokemon out as well."

Everyone's training went a little differently.

Eventually however, both Aura and Diane had mastered their new moves.

Hue though…

His condition was keeping him from focusing all his energy on training.

Out of the rocks that Douglas's water cannons were supposed to spray to pieces, only about three of them had actually broken.

Douglas was finally beginning to mirror Hue's tired energy.

"Hue…" Helen said as she approached him, away from Aura and Diane.

"Is there a reason you're lying about how healthy you feel?"

"Yes." Hue replied, completely unintentionally.

"I don't want to worry anyone."

"Your little plan isn't working though." Helen replied. "Everyone is worried."

"That's why it's important that they all think I'm fine…" Hue sighed.

"How much sleep did you get last night?" Helen asked.

Hue began counting the hours on one hand, and was about to raise it with an answer when Helen stopped him.

"If you could answer with only one hand, then it wasn't enough. You should get some sleep before the contest starts. One of us will come wake you for registration if you feel up for it, but please, don't over exert yourself."

"Fine…" Hue sighed. "But only because I'm still tired…"

He turned to Douglas.

"Good night, Douglas…" He said as he returned a rather confused Blastoise.

"Hey girls…" Helen said. "Hue's definitely too tired to train and needs to go back to the ship. Will one of you take him back for me?"

"Diane." Hue requested.

"What about your travel buddy, Aura?" Aura protested. "She's your partner you know-"

"Don't be ridiculous…" Hue replied. "I can't let Aura see my like this. I told her I was fine to train." His voice dropped to a mumble. "She'd get mad at me and do that piercing gaze thing."

Aura gave Hue a piercing gaze.

He pointed. "Yeah like that."

"He definitely needs some sleep." Diane said as she gently began to guide Hue back towards the ship.

"Goodnight Didi…" Hue said as Diane opened the door to Hue's room. "I love you, I'll see you tomorrow morning…"

Diane laughed. "I haven't heard that since we were five." She said. "Either me, Aura, or Helen will be here to wake you up before the contest in case you want to register." She said.

"So please, just be careful and get some sleep. Try not to focus on the bruise too much."

"It hurts a lot…" Hue nodded. "I should focus on something else to take the pain away."

Diane smiled. "That's a good idea. Sweet dreams, Huey."

She closed the door behind her as she left.

Hue curled up on his bed again.

It was most comfortable that way.

"Huey…" Aura gently massaged his shoulders as she woke him up for the second time that day.

Hue gave a large yawn and got up.

He looked around while blinked before he looked directly at Aura and asked

"Where's Aura?"

Aura tried not to laugh, but couldn't stop herself in time.

"Alright, I guess you're in no condition to participate in the contest…"

"N-no wait!" Hue shook his head rapidly. "Sorry, I was just groggy from getting up! Don't enter without me! I want to do it!"

"Then you better hurry." Aura said as she handed Hue a registration form.

"You can fill this out on the way there."

Hue filled out his form on the way to the contest hall.

For the Performance Stage…

"Unnnmmm…" Hue hummed as he thought to himself.

 _I shouldn't use Ace or Gordon for a second contest in a row, so that leaves me with Douglas, Arthur, and Gumshoe…_

Hue decided on using Gumshoe for the performance stage, and he'd use Arthur in the Battle Stage if he made it there.

"Who are you using?" Hue asked Aura as the two of them finally reached the contest hall.

"I'm starting things off with Koko, and finishing them off with Strike."

"So you're busting out that floral kimono again?"

"You excited?" Aura asked with a sly grin.

 _Very._

"Excited to win maybe." Hue joked.

The contest hall was bustling with people, a good half of which were One Island refugees.

Hue could see the disdain on Aura's face.

"Don't worry, Aura." He smiled. "These people are all just happy to be alive, and none of them even know we were trying to prevent Mt. Ember from erupting in the first place, so no one is blaming you for anything."

"Hm." Aura nodded as she gave a weak smile back while Hue turned in his registration form and the two of them were led into the waiting room.

As Aura took her leave of Hue to go change, Hue rose his jacket hood over his head. If he was going to use Gumshoe, the pokemon he used more often to solve mysteries than to battle, then he wanted to look mysterious, as though he could be either a burglar or a simple boy with a pet pokemon.

Plus, his jacket was warm, and he himself was cold.

"Huey? You up and at it again?" Diane asked as she walked up to him dressed in…

"Is that…" Hue asked as he pointed.

"Are you wearing one of Aura's hakamas?"

"Yeah!" Diane said. "She lent it to me so that it would make more sense when I used Chantra in the performance round."

"But I still think my kimono makes for the cuter outfit…" Aura said as she exited the changing room.

Hue, once again unable to find actual words to say to the beautifully dressed girl standing in front of him, elected to shift all focus to the monitors.

"I think they'll announce the theme for the performance round soon." Hue said.

 _Way to pull a completely baseless claim out of your ass, genius._

"Attention Coordinators!" The announcer yelled.

 _Oh shit, no way! That's lucky…_

"Welcome to the Two Island pokemn contest! Today, you all will be competing for the Two Ribbon!"

The crowd cheered.

"Now let's look at the screen to determine the theme for the performance round…"

Everyone looked at the monitor.

 _ **Seeing With A Blind Eye**_

"Seeing With A Blind Eye!" The announcer exclaimed.

 _Am I just the luckiest guy in the world today?_ Hue wondered. _This is right up Gumshoe's alley!_

"The first coordinator we have today…"

The announcer began as Aura, Diane, and Hue began to talk as Hue adjusted to the rare sight of seeing Aura dressed in that kimono.

"I don't think I'm going to do too well with the theme…" Diane sighed. "Chantra sort of needs to see otherwise he'll fall flat on his face."

"Gumshoe has Odor Sleuth." Hue said. "So I should be fine and do pretty well this round."

"And Koko is a Beedrill…" Aura said. "She picks up on verberations to get around rather than relying on sight."

"I'm pretty sure, literally everyone else's pokemon all need to see to function without falling flat on their asses…" Hue looked around as coordinators like Karen Walls, Carmen Yiddle, and even Monica Wright all messed up spectacularly in their performances.

"Next up…" The announcer called.

"Aura Jones from Saffron City!"

Aura walked out onto the stage as the crowd cheered.

"Go...Koko!" She sent out her Beedrill.

"Drilllll…" Koko buzzed.

Aura closed her own eyes as she slowly tapped a button and a very Johto-esque music began to play.

She slowly spun with Koko as the Beedrill led her through various Swords Dance attacks.

Aura never once opened her eyes.

After being led through Swords Dance after Swords Dance, Aura and Koko shifted directions, and Aura gracefully spun and dodged every Poison Jab that Koko performed towards her.

This continued for a while, until the two went back to the Swords Dance routine, with Aura humming along to the music in an enchanting manner, and Koko doing the same via use of Bug Buzz.

They then repeated the Poison Jab half of the dance while humming along and finally stood together in center stage.

Aura pointed her finger up, and Koko shot an exploding Pin Missile attack into the air, creating what looked like fireworks.

Aura gave a gracious curtsey while Koko imitated her movements.

The audience erupted into applause.

Someone even catcalled.

Hue felt a sudden urge to punch whoever that person was.

Aura stopped the music and slowly walked back out, towards the waiting room area.

Her graceful facade faded the second she saw Hue.

"Oh my goodness…" She said with her eyes wide. "Huey, did you _see_ that? That was my best dance with Koko yet wasn't it?"

"I'll say." Hue agreed.

"Good, good." Aura said as she seemed to relax. "I was so nervous up there, I thought I must have looked like a wreck."

"You looked beautiful up there. It's hard enough to take my eyes off you normally, but doing something amazing like that makes it impossible." Hue assured her, before realizing what he had just said and seeing Aura's red face.

"I mean...you have some interesting outfit choices! Y'know?" Hue scrambled to justify himself.

 _Why am I getting so worked up over this?_

"Y-yeah…" Aura said a little nervously as she headed towards a monitor to watch more performers mess up.

"Next up…" The announcer announced.

"Is Hue Swanson from Fuchsia City!"

"Gumshoe!" Hue called as he sent out his Growlithe and began to play the detective music he had prepared for his performance with Gumshoe.

Hue made sure to not show his face from under his jacket and to follow Gumshoe as he used Odor Sleuth to walk around the stage, before finally picking a spot to start the Dig attack part of the performance.

Hue slowly followed Gumshoe into the hole he dug as Gumshoe appeared out of a different hole in a separate part of the stage.

Hue continued to follow Gumshoe through each hole until a picture of a Growlithe's face could be easily discerned from an aerial view of the contest hall.

Hue then had Gumshoe use a Fire Fang, while underground, lighting the vast tunnels under each hole, creating a fiery outline of the Growlithe face.

Hue then appeared, alongside Gumshoe, out of a hole created in the center left of the picture and a hole created in the center right of the picture, in order to make the illusion that they were the open eyes of the floor Growlithe.

The audience cheered tremendously.

Hue thought he heard a woman swooning over him.

He wondered if Aura was feeling the need to punch that woman.

As he entered the waiting room area, Aura rushed to greet him.

"Why didn't you do something like that at the Rock Tunnel Contest we participated in a little before Halloween?"

"The Vermillion Contest was held on Halloween." Hue said. "I _thought_ that we'd be able to make it there in time but _someone's_ attempts to catch a Horsea held us up a little while."

"You're the one who ended up with a pokemon that day." Aura huffed. "I think you're just at fault for that."

"Hey, that pokemon used to belong to Helen Lang herself!"

"And?" Aura asked. "She's eighteen years old, and hasn't even participated in a pokemon league yet!"

"But she's got a reputation for being a good trainer and a good coordinator." Hue countered.  
"True." Aura nodded. "The downside is that the reputation is that she's a 'good' trainer and a 'good' coordinator. She doesn't really have anything to show for it besides her ribbons and badges."

"Despite all the talk about me being a 'good' coordinator…" Helen entered into the conversation. "I really don't coordinate all that much. In fact, I'm not sure I plan to participate in the Grand Festival-"

Aura and Hue both gasped.

" _Next_ year…" Helen said with gritted teeth. "I'm obviously competing this time around. If for no other reason than Carmen made me."

"Speaking of Carmen making you do things…" Hue remembered. "Is there a reason Carmen wants you to join the police?"

"Not one I can just tell you right now…" Helen said as she pointed at the monitors.

"They're announcing the two finalists and the theme."

The first finalist to appear on screen was Aura, with a completely perfect score of 30.

The second and final finalist to appear on screen was….

Hue. With…

A nearly completely perfect score of 28.

"Those are…" Helen's eyes widened. "Some pretty good numbers…"

"Huey!" Aura tugged on Hue's arm. "Huey, we did it! We're in the final round of a contest! This way, no matter which one of us wins, the two of us can still fondly remember this contest!"

"It's about time something like this happened." Hue smiled at Aura as he nodded in agreement.

 _But don't think I'll go easy on you just because I have one more ribbon than you right now!_

"And now that our two finalists have been chosen…" The announcer exclaimed.

Everyone looked at the monitor.

 _ **To Miss a Kiss is to Miss some Bliss**_

"The hell does that even mean?" Hue asked nervously.

He looked down at Arthur's pokeball.

 _And are you going to have to put up with that Draining Kiss move in battle again? You sure didn't seem to like it the last time…_

Hue quickly looked over at Aura, who also seemed to have no damn idea what that phrase was supposed to mean.

"Let's get this over with…" Hue sighed with a bit of a yawn as he walked up towards the stage, passed Aura, who soon realized that she also needed to go on stage and followed after him.

"It looks like this match will be Aura's Scyther VS Hue's Gallade!" The announcer exclaimed.

"The match will be over either when one of the contestant's point bars reach zero, the timer reaches zero, or one side's pokemon is no longer able to battle. Coordinators, are you ready?" The announcer asked.

"Yes!" Aura replied with a sly smile.

"Of course." Hue said as he felt his stomach growl.

"Then Battle, Start!" The announcer exclaimed as music that reminded Hue of the music for a tango began to play at that very instant.

"Strike, why don't you begin with a bow to Arthur?" Aura asked. "You're going to be leading this dance after all."

"Arthur…" Hue retaliated. "Don't take that from her. You bow to Strike. After all, you're more man than he is. You'll be leading."

Both pokemon bowed to each other.

"Night Slash!" Both trainers called out to their pokemon and Arthur and Strike collided blade appendages.

Both trainer's point bars decreased.

"Don't let up, Strike!" Aura called, use Swords Dance and try to trip Arthur off balance!"

"Arthur!" Hue called. "Counter it with your own Swords Dance to keep your balance going!"

Both pokemon began dancing as though they were actually duelling and crossing swords with each other.

"Two male pokemon dancing with each other." Aura said. "The Sevii Islands sure are modern aren't they?"

"Now's not the time for political jokes." Hue rolled his eyes before giving a slight yawn. "And besides, male pokemon dancing with each other has been around for generations so this is nothing new."

Aura sighed. "Party pooper."

She turned to her Scyther. "Strike, why don't you show Arthur what an X-Scissor feels like?"

"Scythe…" Strike hissed.

"Arthur!" Hue called out. "You won't give Strike the opportunity because you'll show him what a Fury Cutter feels like first!"

"G'lade." Arthur nodded.

Both pokemon once again locked bladed appendages.

"Swords Dance!" Both trainers yelled.

The pokemon began to run around each other, their arms linked, or more accurately 'stuck' together.

Both trainer's point bars were decreasing.

"Alright Strike!" Aura called out. "Time to end this with a Razor Wind!"

Strike began to charged up a Razor Wind.

"And Arthur!" Hue called out with a yawn and stomach growl. "We won't give him the satisfaction! Use Psycho Cut!"

"Gallade!" Arthur yelled as he shot a Psycho Cut directly at Strikes face.

Aura's point bar depleted.

"Scyther…" Strike shot a Razor Wind that picked Arthur up and tossed him around everywhere as Hue's point bar depleted.

Arthur landed with a thud on top of Strike.

"Scythe…" Strike tried to get up, but Arthur had him pinned down.

 _I think I might be able to win this...I just...What do I need to do?_

"Strike!" Aura yelled while Hue was distracted. "Even if you don't want to do it, trust me on this! Kiss Arthur on the cheek or something!"

"Scyther…" Stike gulped before he did exactly as his trianer instructed, which sent Arthur into a state of panic as he scurried back to where Hue was, and Hue lost his remaining points.

Bzzzzzzt.

"Hue's points have been depleted to zero!" The announcer exclaimed. "Aura is the winner!"

"Congratulations, Aura…" Hue said with a yawn as he moved to shake Aura's hand.

Aura didn't take it.

"Hue…" She said, seriously. "I shouldn't be winning this ribbon. You could have easily defeated me back there, so why didn't you?"

"I don't know." Hue yawned again as his hand moved closer to the green bruise on his stomach.

"Huey, don't touch that-!" Aura began a little too late.

Hue started to massage his stomach.

"But it hurts again…" He said with a yawn.

"Huey…" Aura caught him before he fell over, with Arthur catching him on his other side.

"G'lade!" Arthur seemed just as worried about Hue and Aura was.

"Scyther?" Strike fluttered up to Hue, worried about him as well.

"It hurts…" Hue repeated to Aura with a smile. "But see?"

He motioned to his picture in the bottom of the now Aura dominated screen.

"I made it to the finals of a contest with you...I'm perfectly…*yaawwwnnn*...fine…"

The audience wasn't cheering anymore.

No one knew what was going on.

Hue turned to Aura again.

"I think I need to lie down…" He said in what sounded like a yawn combined with both a gasp and a sigh, before collapsing on the ground.

"Huey?" Aura asked as she checked to make sure he was still breathing, and giving a relieved and depressed sigh.

"Oh...Huey…"

She spent about half an hour hunched over him, silently crying.


	62. Helen

Chapter 62:

Helen

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Protect, Rapid Spin, Water Pulse, Skull Bash

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Fury Cutter

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Ace(Pidgeot): Roost, Twister, Wing Attack, Feather Dance

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Egg(It doesn't seem close to hatching)

"Uhh…" Hue groaned as he opened his eyes to see that he had woken up in what looked like an inn.

"Hue!" Helen's face leaned over him. "You're awake!"

"Helen?" Hue asked as she stretched and sat up in the bed he was in.

He looked around.

 _Wait a minute…_

 _This bed is…_

"This...this is the Inn I stayed in at Pallet Town…" Hue observed.

Helen nodded.

"That's right. This is Pallet Town."

Hue lay back down.

"Then I must be dreaming again, because last I checked I was on Two Island…"

"You aren't dreaming." Helen shook her head as she let some sunlight into the room.

"The two of us really are in Pallet Town right now. It's clean air should help hasten your recovery from...whatever that green thing on your stomach is."

Hue looked down at his stomach, which had been bandaged. The neon green wound was glowing faintly.

"The bandages are to keep you from touching it directly." Helen said as she noticed Hue's curiosity.

"Who put them on me?" Hue asked.

"Who do you think?" Helen asked rhetorically before she looked out the window at Pallet Town.

"Now all we have to do is wait for you to recover. Hopefully you'll be in travel ready conditions by the time the cruise gets back."

"Wait, where's Aura?" Hue asked confused.

"Still on the Sevii Islands cruise." Helen said. "But don't think that she didn't try her damndest to be in my current position." She gave a small laugh.

"Unfortunately, considering your state, we thought it would be best if an adult looked after you."

"I see…" Hue sighed.

"I guess I won't be competing in this year's Grand Festival then…"

"That's not true." Helen shook her head. "Contests are held a total of three times in each town or city that doesn't do it more often. And we're about to start the third circuit of contests later this month."

Hue nodded, with a weak smile.

"Good." he said. "Aura probably wouldn't enter the Grand Festival if I wasn't participating in it either."

"You two seem very close." Helen said as she poured Hue a glass of water and told him to drink it.

"A lot has happened." Hue replied after he finished all the water in the glass and handed it back to Helen.

"Indeed." Helen agreed as she sat in a chair by Hue's bed.

A silence ensued.

"Is this...what you've been doing while I was asleep?" Hue asked, breaking the silence.

"I needed to keep an eye on you, after all." Helen said.

"How are you feeling?"

"Well…" Hue looked down at his gut.

"My stomach still hurts, but not as much as it used to."

"I think your best bet for making sure it stops hurting would be to refrain from talking to whatever thing is inside of you." Helen advised Hue.

"Junzo did that too and-" Helen instantly clasped her hands over her mouth as Hue sat upright again.

"Did you just say 'Junzo'?" Hue asked.

Helen slowly lowered her hands.

"It's nothing…" She lied. "F-forget about it…"

"I know that Junzo is the real name of Aura's brother." Hue said seriously. "Helen, how do you know that?"

"Because I knew both Junzo and Aura before the kidnapping." Helen replied.

"So...you know Aura's real name too?"

Helen gave a nervous laugh. "Whaaat? Nooo…."

"Helen, please…" Hue pleaded.

Helen sighed.

"I'm sorry, Hue." She said. "But Subject 3 themselves has told me not to give you Aura's true name. They say that knowledge of Aura's true name will only put you in greater danger, and the entire reason we have you in Pallet Town right now is because it's safe here."

"Helen…" Hue tried to look at her with pleading eyes.

"Pleeasssee…"

"I'm not going to tell you her name, Hue!" Helen put her foot down. "Ask her yourself when she gets here if you're so interested in it!"

She gave a sigh.

"That wasn't the only thing Subject 3 told me either." She shook her head.

"Hue, you really need to stop chasing down NTR. I mean it. No more of it for you, not even if you think Aura is in danger. The second Chandler sees that wound, he's going to kill you, just like he killed Junzo, who also tried to solve this damn mystery even though everyone told him not to."

"You told him not to solve anything?" Hue asked, confused. "Why? Weren't you angry at Chandler? Didn't you want to know why he did that? Didn't you want to see him arrested, or see who he was?"

"Of course I did…" Helen sighed. "But…"

She looked at Hue with one of the most honest gazes he had ever seen.

"But I wanted to live my life more."

Hue looked on as Helen continued.

"Junzo and I...we were supposed to go on a pokemon journey together...And Aura would be there too. We would be a travelling family, and when Aura was old enough, we'd come back to pallet town so that she could get a pokemon too, and then we'd have tons of fun training and battling with each other each day."

She clenched her hands.

"But that all changed after the kidnapping…"

Hue could see that Helen wasn't very fond of this story.

"When he decided that the safety and identity of all the Subjects was his top priority until the whole matter of NTR had been resolved...

Back when no one thought they would grow to be as powerful as they are now…"

Hue gave a sigh.

"Could you please tell me what he was like, Helen?" He asked.

"I won't make you tell me anything you don't want to, but Aura never really talked about what her brother often acted like. From what I understand, nothing seemed more important to him than his family."

"Subject 3 thought you might ask something like that." Helen smiled.

"It's a long story, that starts before the kidnapping, and then includes bits from the kidnapping itself."

"Well…" Hue rested back in the bed. He felt as though Helen was about to read him a bedtime story.

"I'm ready when you are."

*10.5 Years Ago*

Helen's Pet: Rhyhorn: Horn Attack, Tail Whip,

Helen Lang pet her pet Rhyhorn as the two of them walked home from their first ever lesson with the Viridian City Gym Leader.

"Come again." The four year old girl with no expressions said as the double doors to the gym opened up for Helen.

"The gym leader here sure is tough." Helen smiled at the girl. "But I think she's an even tougher teacher!"

"I like it when Daddy runs the gym better." The girl said as she slowly walked alongside Helen.

"H-hey…" Helen and her Rhyhorn both looked down, concerned, as the girl walked with them.

"Shouldn't you be heading back to the gym? Your mother is probably wondering where you-"

"That's not my mother." The girl said with a deadpan expression. "She's just my stepmother."

"Oh...I see…" Helen said as she looked at her Rhyhorn.

"Our parents are divorced." She told the girl. "So I know what its like for a stepparent to come in and change the family dynamic."

The girl didn't seem to feel any better after hearing Helen's attempt to empathize with her.

"Horrnnn…" Rhyhorn bowed down for Helen and gave her a smile.

Helen looked down at the girl with no expressions.

"Rhyhorn's offering us a ride!" She said, trying in vain to get this little girl to smile. "Want to take a lap around the city?"

"Mm." The girl nodded without changing expressions before Helen helped her onto Rhyhorn.

"Rhyhorn!" Rhyhorn said excitedly as it began to walk in a fast and bumpy pace.

In no more than ten seconds, a Rhyperior drilled up from the ground and blocked the way.

"Ohhh!" The young girl said as she pointed.

"Daddy's back!"

Helen could see the excitement in the girl's eyes, but her face still seemed devoid of any emotion, and her tone made it sound like she didn't want her father back, which was clearly the exact opposite of what she truly felt.

"Daddy…" The girl ran up to the other gym leader.

"Hey, sweetie." The man smiled at his daughter with tired and loving eyes as he picked her up and put her on his shoulders.

"She's a new student!" The girl pointed at Helen, who could feel herself go red with embarrassment.

 _So when the gym isn't run by her stepmother, it's run by her father? The CEO of the company my mom works for? How innately strong is this family?_

"I hope my wife didn't go too hard on you." The man smiled at Helen.

"How old are you? Just ten?"

"No sir…" Helen shook her head. "I'm eight and a half. This Rhyhorn is my pet."

"Well then…" The girl's father smiled. "I'm sure you'll be conditioned to be a strong and respectable trainer. Maybe one day you'll rob me of an Earthbadge!"

He looked up to the girl on his shoulders.

"Alright sweetie, what do you say? You ready to head to the doctor's?"

"But I don't want to…" The girl pouted. "I want to stay home."

Even when she tried to whine like other kids, that girl simply couldn't muster up enough emotion to do it.

"I know, I know." Her father said as he waved a goodbye to Helen. "But we can't skip any more appointments. Otherwise it might act up again."

"Hm." The girl nodded reluctantly.

"What do you say to the nice student who played with you?" The man asked.

The daughter turned her torso around and rose an arm to wave to Helen.

"Thank you for playing with me. Ciao."

"C-ciao…" Helen rose her hand back to the father-daughter pair as she and her Rhydon walked into the Pokemon Center.

"P-please!" A little girl with dark brown hair and dark green eyes was pleading at the nurse joy.

"You can wake my brother up, right?" She seemed frantic.

Helen ran up to her.

She seemed so desperate, and Helen recognized her as one of the two street urchins that often snuck around the northern part of the city, where the gym was located.

"Um...Excuse me…" Helen knelt down and put her hand on the little girl's shoulder.

She looked up at Helen.

"Do you have a Drowzee?" The girl asked, with a dead serious expression and piercing eyes. "Drowzee can eat my brother's dream and wake him up, right?"

"I'm sorry…" Helen apologized. "But I'm only around eight years old right now. This Rhyhorn is only a pet of mine. The reason I talked to you was because I want to see what the matter is…"

"My big brother, Junzo fell asleep in the lake and he's not waking up!" The little girl sobbed.

Helen's eyes trembled with the realization of what had happened to this girl's older brother.

She remembered that three years ago, just after her parents divorced, the police fished a beautiful woman out of that same lake, and she didn't 'wake up'.

"Where's her brother?" Helen asked the Nurse Joy, rather hurriedly.

"He should be in room 104…" The Nurse Joy said as she pointed to a room at the end of a hallway.

"Junzo!" The little girl screamed as she ran halfway down the hallway before falling over.

"Waaahhh!" She began to cry.

"Standard check up for Rhyhorn please." Helen said to Nurse Joy as she went to go aid the little girl.

"Huh?" The girl's tears receded as Helen picked her up and began to run to the end of the hallway.

"Don't worry." She smiled. "We'll wait for your brother to wake up together. What's your name?"

"J-Junzo says to only give my last name to strangers…" The girl said, nervously as she bit her nail and looked away.

"I don't mind." Helen smiled back. She held out a hand as she put the girl down in front of the door to Junzo's room.

"My name is Helen, but you can call me whatever you like."

"My name is Muranaka!" The girl chimed. "It's nice to meet you Helly!"

"Helly?" Helen asked with a small laugh.

"Mhmm!" Muranaka nodded as Helen opened the door and Muranaka ran inside, right up to Junzo's bedside.

"Junny…." Muranaka said in a depressed tone as she looked over her hospitalized older brother.

His hair was black and shaggy, but the way he was so still on the bed, under life support, he did have a certain handsome quality to him…

 _Gah! No, I'm not here for that! I'm here for the sister!_

Helen dispelled any thoughts of the brother or his recovery. She needed to be prepared for the worst.

Muranaka didn't strike her as the type of girl who would be able to fend for herself on the streets.

"Hey, Muranaka…" Helen said as the little girl curled up in her lap.

"Hm?" She responded as she began to suck her thumb.

"N-nevermind." Helen said, unable to bring up the subject of Junzo's possible death.

"Hey Helly…" Muranaka yawned as she dozed off to sleep. "Can me and my brother be adopted into your family? Auntie doesn't like us very much."

Those were Muranaka's final words before she fell asleep in Helen's lap.

Helen couldn't fall asleep.

She kept staring intently at Junzo.

 _I wonder if he's going to ever wake up…_

"Oh dear…" Helen turned to see Andle Ross, the husband of the viridian ciy gym leader, whom she had run into earlier that day, standing in the doorway.

"Sir." She sat upright.

"Poor kid.." Andle frowned. "I heard what happened from Nurse Joy."

He looked at Helen with sad eyes.

"This is the second time in the past five years that someone's tried to end their life in that lake."

"So...he _did_ try to do that…" Helen lamented.

"Hup." Andle sat in the chair opposite Helen.

"When you become a pokemon trainer, will your Rhyhorn accompany you on your journey?"

Helen nodded.

"Good." Andle smiled. "Rhyhorn can be difficult to train because of their low IQ, but with enough persistence, they can evolve into some of the smartest non-psychic type pokemon."

Helen nodded at his statement.

Andle pointed at Muranka.

"She seems to have taken a liking to you…." He looked out at the moonlight sky from a window near the ceiling of the room.

"If only my own daughter would act like that around me…" He gave a weak smile.

"Excuse me...Mr. Andle Ross, sir…" Helen asked with a gulp. "I was wondering…"

Andle smiled at Helen.

"Don't be shy, ask away."

"I was wondering if you would take both these children off the streets…" Helen said, nervously. "You seem like the type of parent who really loves their children and-"

"I already tried what you're suggesting." Andler answered with almost a bit of a chuckle.

"And believe me, my daughter was thrilled. I could see it in the depths of her eyes. However...my wife wasn't keen on the idea, so we couldn't keep them, but I've been secretly stealing food from the gym to feed them so that they don't have to resort to robbing anyone."

"Why are you here?" Helen asked him.

"The same reason you're here." Andle smiled at Helen as he reached into his pocket.

"Because I'm concerned for the boy's well being and because I want to be there for the girl in case the worst happens."

He held out a small stone with a double helix pattern on it.

"This is a keystone." He told Helen. "It's essential for any trainer who wants to mega evolve their pokemon. I have a feeling that with the way you conduct yourself, you'll definitely end up training a pokemon you have a strong enough bond with to mega evolve it. I'll leave this with you as a parting gift. Unfortunately, I can't stay here. I'm behind enough on my work as it is. Promise me you'll be here when that boy wakes up."

Helen nodded as Andle Ross left the room.

A few minutes later, Helen noticed the boy opening his eyes and waking up.

"You're awake!" She exclaimed in a hushed voice so that Muranaka wouldn't wake up from her own sleep.

"I am…" Junzo said as he observed himself.

"Well, that's a shame…"

He looked at Helen, who looked back at him with a scolding stare.

"That _is_ a shame…" Helen said. "The way your younger sister was acting earlier, I thought that you cared enough about her to not throw your life away like that."

"You don't understand." Junzo said, sullenly. "This is the anniversary of the day our parents both jumped off of Lavender Tower and we were sent here, were no one wants us in their homes. I'm only eight years old. I shouldn't have to raise a child by myself."

"I...I guess I agree with you on that." Helen gave Junzo credit where it was due. No eight year old could possibly be able to raise another human by themselves.

"So will you pull that plug over there that's keeping me stable?" Junzo asked as he motioned over to a plug.

"No!" Helen stood up as Muranaka gently rolled onto the pokemon center floor.

"I'm not going to do that, because regardless of what you just said, I know you're making the wrong decision!"

Helen pointed to Muranaka.

"I don't know how old she was when this jump happened, but she's clearly moved on from it. You could take a lesson from your younger sister! There's nothing wrong with feeling stressed out, especially in your position, but that's never an excuse to do something as selfish as throwing your life away! Especially when you _know_ there's someone out there in the world that needs you!"

Junzo looked down. "I…"

"You're scared and feel like running." Helen said. "I understand what that feels like, but…"

She clenched her hands. "You can't change the past, Junzo! If you really feel like running, you should run _forwards_ , towards a future unconnected to the past that haunts you. That's what my Rhyhorn and I do. It's how we cope with the fact that both my parents have remarried to other, rather awful people."

"You…" Junzo said with a slightly red face. "Looked rather pretty when you were giving that speech just now."

Helen gasped as her face turned red and looked away.

"T...Thank you…' She said, nervously. Suddenly, an idea formed her mind and her nervous face became a confident grin.

"But if you die, you'll lose any chances you might have had with me."

"I guess that's true." Junzo laughed as he truly smiled for the first time since waking up.

It was a beautiful smile, especially accented by the moonlight.

"What about if I stay alive?"

"Then I'll play with you and your sister everyday I spend in this city until we're both ten. Then we can all go on a pokemon journey together." Helen said with a smile back to him.

"But will anything come out of it?" Junzo asked.

"You'll have to live long enough to see." Helen joked. "Besides...think of how happy your sister will be when she sees you nice and awake."

Junzo looked over and a sleeping Muranaka.

He nodded.

"My name, as you know, is Junzo...but…" His face turned red. "I don't mind being called Junny if you want."

"I'm Helen…" Helen said as her face turned equally red. "But if you're letting me call you 'Junny', then I suppose I can let you call me 'Helly'."

"That's what Muranaka calls me." They both said at the same time.

They looked at each other and laughed.

The next two years went by peacefully as Helen kept her promise, and whenever she lived with her father and stepmom in Viridian City, she would always go find Junzo and his sister and play with them. Eventually, Helen was called back to Saffron City, where her mother lived, permanently, but she still talked with Junzo and his sister by mail.

Soon enough after that...Helen's tenth birthday approached. She received a Charmander from Professor Oak as she became a licensed trainer, as well as a Pokemon Egg that Junzo had obtained in the mail. He and his sister were apparently already en route to Saffron City in order to meet up with her. Helen awaited their arrival with baited breath. Thinking of what a happy reunion it would be.

How unfortunate it was that the reunion never quite came.

Helen's Current Team:

Rhyhorn: Horn Attack, Tail Whip, Stomp, Smack Down

Charmander: Scratch, Growl, Ember, Dragon Rage

Egg(sent to her in mail by Junzo): (Moves occasionally, should hatch soon)

Helen awoke in a dark, and damp cell. It wasn't cold however.

"Charmander…" She sent out her pokemon to create some light so she could see.

She could barely remember what had happened to her.

She was walking around Saffron City...waiting for Junzo and his sister to arrive, and she was pretty sure she had just passed the corner of Silph Street when…

"Ah!" Helen gasped.

"Charr?" Charmander looked at her.

"That guy in the weird uniform on the corner!" She said. "With the NTR on his chest! I think he might have drugged me!"

"Chaaa!" the Charmander put his hands to his head with a gasp.

"Now…" Helen very slowly began to stand up, feeling very out of energy. "Let's see who else in in this cell."

"Charmander!" Charmander saluted as he began to march around.

The first person he found was a young boy about Helen's age with a strange and neon purple punk hairdo.

"Hey, excuse me…" Helen nudged the boy awake.

"Wh-wha-what are you doing?" He asked as he scurried to the back of the cell.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Helen clasped her hands together. "I just wanted to make sure that you were okay…"

"O-oh." The boy's face went red.

"In that case, its no problem."

"Chaaa!" Charmander held out its tiny hand to greet the boy, whose eyes widened.

"Woah! You got that charmander from Professor Oak, huh?" He asked as he gently shook Charmander's hand.

"Yeah." Helen nodded as the boy took out a pokeball.

"I got a Squirtle!" He said as he sent out his Squirtle.

"Squirtle!" The Squirtle held out its hand to Charmander, who shook it enthusiastically.

"They're getting along great." Helen chuckled.

"Yeah, I've never seen Squirtle this enthusiastic! She seems absolutely smitten with your Charmander!" The boy agreed.

"Maybe we can hold a wedding for them when we get out of here." Helen joked with a laugh.

"Heh, maybe." The boy's face went red again.

"I-I'm Justin by the way." He held out his hand. "Justin Mercer."

"Helen." Helen shook Justin's hand. "Helen Lang."

"Chaar!" Charmander and Squirtle waddled over towards the corner of the cell where another boy was curled up in a ball, seemingly asleep.

"Excuse me-" Helen began to nudge him awake when he rolled over to reveal a partially hidden face under shaggy black hair.

"Not now, Helly…." He mumbled. "Go play with my sister for a bit. I'm still tired…"

"Junny!" Helen gasped as she put even more effort into waking Junzo up.

"I'm up already!" He said as he looked around and finally noticed the situation.

"Muranaka?" He asked as he stood up and ran to the edge of the cell.

"Muranaka?" He called again.

There was no answer.

"Where's Muranaka?" He asked Helen.

"J-Junny?" Helen asked.

"Helly, where's Muranaka?" Junzo asked again. "Do you know where my sister is?"

"Hey, calm down dude!" Justin said. "None of us even know where _we_ are."

"I guess you're right." Junzo sighed. "Pardon my outburst."

He began to mumble himself. "Run forwards...run forwards…"

 _He's still using that speech...It's practically his own now…_

"So, where do we think we are?" He asked both Justin and Helen.

 _After so long without seeing me, I'd thought he'd at least smile…._

Helen stroked her chin.

"If I had to guess, I'd say we're underground, and somewhere humid."

"Cinnabar." Junzo said instantly. "We're underground in a building on Cinnabar Island."

 _He's certainly getting to work on solving this situation_.

"Hey, you should probably return your pokemon." He cautioned Justin and Helen.

"There's no telling what will happen to them or to us if whoever did this comes by and sees them."

Justin and Helen both reluctantly returned their pokemon.

"Who died and made you the leader?" Justin asked with a huff.

"My parents." Junzo answered without missing a beat.

"Now, let's do some inventory. Anyone still have their pokedex on them?"

Both Helen and Justin shook their heads.

Junzo looked around.

"In that case, we'll need to do this verbally." He said in a hushed whisper.

"I've got a Charmander, a Marowak, and a Pidgey." He said.

"I've got a Charmander, a Rhyhorn, and the Egg you gave me." Helen added.

"I've got a Squirtle, a Munchlax, and a Pinsir." Justin finished everything off.

Thus began Junzo's reign as 'Trainer Cell' captain.

And it looked like escape might become plausible, until one day, not very far into the kidnapping, that two kids were brought down past their cell.

A boy with bright blonde hair, wearing glasses, and a girl with black hair and her face shoved into a Dragonite doll, were being led by a man obscured in shadow, saved for crazed ice-blue eyes.

"Come on now you two…" The man said. "You'll be joining Subject 3 downstairs. If all goes well, everyone will come out of this perfectly fine."

"Excuse me!" Junzo called out to the sinister man from the cage.

"Could you let me become a Subject too?"

"Oh-ho!" The man gave a bit of a laugh as he turned to some workers with those NTR uniforms that Helen had seen before, back in Saffron. "He's volunteering! We might as well grab him."

"Junny, what are y-?" Helen asked before she was cut off by Junzo's sudden kiss.

Justin's jaw dropped as he stood there, just looking on at the scene, slowly lifting a finger to Junzo and pointing back and forth between Junzo and Helen.

"Don't worry about me, Helly." Junzo smiled as he backed away and Helen rose a trembling hand up to her lips while her face became red.

"I'll be fine." Junzo said. "I'm just gathering more information. It was great to finally see you again. For now, you and Justin should focus on getting out of here. If anyone can do it, it's you."

"O-okay…" Helen could feel her knees shake with a mixture of sadness, fear, happiness, and excitement.

That was the last Helen saw of Junzo until after everyone had escaped from that lab.

She saw him, standing alone, looking for someone.

"Junny!" She called out to him.

"Ah." Junzo said as he walked towards Helen.

"Thank you for evacuating everyone, Helen." He said, in a lot more formal a tone than Helen remembered him talking in.

"I'm so sorry Junny!" Helen said as she did her best to keep tears from welling up in her eyes.

"I thought that you and those other kids were dead...I should have listened to that boy who heard noises...Did-"

"Don't worry." Junzo gave a weak smile. "Both those kids we saw are perfectly safe. But I'm not sure about Subject 3…" He admitted. "So I'm going to find out who they are and if they're okay."

"J-junny, no don't do that!" Helen pleaded. "We can finally start our journey together! Run forwards remember?"

"I am running forwards, Helen." Junzo gave a very sad and weak smile as he kissed her forehead.

"I think maybe you should too."

Those were the last words Helen ever heard from Muranaka Junzo.

*Present Day*

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Protect, Rapid Spin, Water Pulse, Skull Bash

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Fury Cutter

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Ace(Pidgeot): Roost, Twister, Wing Attack, Feather Dance

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Egg(It doesn't seem close to hatching)

"So you see, Hue…" Helen finished up her story with Hue, while meanwhile, far away on Three Island, Aura was looking at her 4th contest ribbon, which she had just won.

"Junzo spent the rest of his, and as a result, most of Aura's life, tracking down the subjects and making sure they were safe. Chances are that your travel partner knew who and what you were before she even met you."

"And what about Subject 3?" Hue asked, while meanwhile, far away on Three Island, Aura put her 4th contest ribbon in her ribbon case, in her room's bathroom mirror, before turning around after seeing a quickly moving dash of black with crimson in the reflection.

"I have no doubt that Junzo discovered the identity of all the Subjects." Helen said. "And chances are that Aura knows who Subject 3 is as well. Unfortunately it's this knowledge that makes her even more dangerous to be around than if she was simply trying to avenge her brother."

"So the reason I keep seeing NTR troops following us…" Hue gulped as meanwhile, far away on Three Island, Aura was chasing an NTR grunt through the Berry Forest.

"Is because they're really trying to get to Aura?"

"That's right." Helen nodded, sounding incredibly worried about something.

"Well…" Hue stretched. "I'm sure Aura can handle herself. She's a strong trainer…" He said, while meanwhile, far away on Three Island, Aura cornered an NTR grunt now quivering in fear as she held out her Safari Ball. "Why do you sound so worried?"

"Because Aura's alone, NTR will become bolder in attempts to seize her." Helen warned Hue.

"And with you...like this...She won't have anyone to be a voice of reason." She said while far away, on Three Island, Aura sent out Huey, the pokemon whose species she kept secret from Hue.

"P-please don't! I'll tell Chandler I failed, alright? Alright?" The grunt pleaded. "Just don't-"

"This man is evil, Huey." Aura said to her pokemon, making the very face that Hue never wanted to see Aura make ever again.

Piercing dark green eyes accented with craze and anger.

"He works for the monster that killed my brother. Let's show him what we do with evil men."

A flock of Pidgeotto flew out of the forest.


	63. Professor's Product

Chapter 63:

Professor's Product

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Protect, Rapid Spin, Water Pulse, Skull Bash

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Fury Cutter

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Ace(Pidgeot): Roost, Twister, Wing Attack, Feather Dance

Gumshoe(Growlithe): Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Egg(Moves occasionally, should hatch soon)

"Up and at 'em, Hue!" Helen said as she walked into the room where Hue was staying.

"Let's see if you can get out of bed."

"I couldn't do it the last time…" Hue sighed. "And I don't think anything will change today."

He sat up and turned around in his bed so that his legs dangled over the edge of the mattress.

He slowly put his feet on the floor, and tried to hoist himself out of bed.

His legs instantly buckled under his own weight and he fell back on the bed.

"Ugh…" He groaned. "How am I supposed to build my muscle back if I can't even support myself?"

"We need to get your stomach in a good enough condition so that you can eat the foods you need." Helen answered as she stroked her chin.

"Alright, mom." Hue rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say…"

"If I'm your mother, then I know what's best for you." Helen played off of Hue's sarcasm. "And it just so happens that you're going to have a visitor in a few hours."

"A visitor?" Hue asked, confused.

 _It can't be Aura...she's still on that cruise…_

"Who?"

"A mutual acquaintance of ours." Helen answered cryptically. "He's very eager to talk to you in person again."

 _He? Who do I know that I haven't talked to in a long time?_

"Well, what am I supposed to do until then?" Hue asked with a pout.

"Can I see your pokedex?" Helen asked as she held up Dean.

"Go ahead." Hue shrugged.

Helen scrolled through the trainer list.

"Interesting…" She said as she looked at the history of the added contacts.

"Your very first battle was with Aura…"

"What's so interesting about that?" Hue asked.

Helen shook her head.

"Well, maybe not interesting to _you_." She clarified.

"My very first battle was with your boss, Carmen."

"I still don't see a connecting thread…" Hue admitted.

"Well…" Helen laughed. "For a while, Carmen and I traveled together just like you and Aura are doing now." She replied. "But a certain _someone_ got a little too caught up in her family's police force legacy, and well...I wanted nothing to do with it."

"I happen to know that Aura enjoys solving mysteries with me." Hue laughed. "I doubt the same thing applies."

"Hue…" Helen shook her head. "That's not what I'm talking about."

Hue was, once again, confused.

"What are you talking about then?"

"Be honest with me." Helen sat on the foot of his bed and faced him directly.

"Before you met Aura, had you even considered the _possibility_ of tracking down your kidnapper from all those years ago?"

"Well...no…" Hue admitted. "I wanted to never revisit that time of my life again."

"So why are you invested in it now?" Helen wondered. "After all, when I told Carmen I wanted nothing to do with police, sure she was mad, but we're still friends, and she still persuades me to help her on occasion. I just want to make sure Hue, that you aren't being forced into this against your will."

"Well, I won't say that I don't feel at least a little forced into it…" Hue admitted. "But especially now, after everything that's happened to me...I feel it would be a waste to just stop, you know? My sister saw our mother die before her eyes, and even though I call her school to check up on her everyday, she doesn't ever want to talk to me. I feel like if I stopped trying to solve this giant mess of a case, then I lost both of them for no reason."

"That's a good motive to continue then." Helen nodded. "But I still think it best that you try to do some soul searching on your own sometime soon. After all, I was there in Lavender Town with you." Helen reminded him. "I saw how frightened and upset you were when Aura dashed towards that cemetery, despite all your efforts. Unfortunately, I can almost guarantee that she'll do something like that again. She had an overwhelming amount of admiration for Junzo, and it's clear to me that she's doing her best to use you as a coping mechanism. You act a lot like he did back then, that month we were all kidnapped. And now look, it's possible that you're…"

Helen looked away.

"You know...heading down a similar path…"

She turned back to Hue. "Imagine what that might do to Aura, who can only barely handle Junzo's death. Who now has to deal with an increasing number of NTR grunts keeping tabs on her since you aren't there. It doesn't a pretty picture paint…"

"No, it doesn't…" Hue agreed. "I think I need to talk to her now, just to let her know I'm alright." He held out his hand for the pokedex.

Helen hesitantly handed it to him.

Hue tried calling Aura…

But the signal couldn't reach her.

"Oh yeah…" He remembered.

"She's in the Sevii Islands right now, and the machine connecting them to Kanto is broken…"

Helen sighed.

"Don't worry." She said. "I'm sure she has faith that you're alright."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Hue said as Helen got up off his bed.

"Sorry for making you worry like that." She apologized. "You take a nap while I clean this place for our visitor."

"Alright." Hue agreed as he turned over in the bed and drifted off to sleep.

 _Aura's fine…_ He reminded himself. _I'm getting paranoid over nothing…_

*Four Island*

Aura's Current Team: Karakara(Cubone*shiny*): Bonemerang, Fling, Perish Song, Earth Power

Koko(Beedrill): Swords Dance, Pin Missile, Poison Jab, Endeavor

Nazono(Bellossom): Petal Dance, Sunny Day, Sweet Scent, Grassy Terrain

Strike(Scyther): Swords Dance, Night Slash, X-Scissor, Razor Wind

Fushi(Venusaur): Growth, Synthesis, Solar Beam, Frenzy Plant

Huey(?): ?,?,?,?

Aura thought she saw a woman in a black uniform standing in front of a cavern entrance.

She blinked and rubbed her eyes, only to see no one there anymore.

"Didi..Didi…" Aura tugged on Diane's sleeve as she pointed to the small entrance to Icefall Cave.

"Did you see a woman dressed in black in front of that cave just now?"

"No, Aura...I didn't…" Diane sighed. "First you come back to the ship spewing nonsense about some NTR grunt trying to kill you last night, and now this...Are you sure you didn't eat some wild berry that you shouldn't have? You might need some rest…"

 _If she didn't see them, then that means they didn't want to be noticed. They must be up to no good in there…_

"Bone?" Karakara looked up at Aura. "Cubone?"

Aura gently kissed the top of Karakara's skull helmet.

"Shh…" She whispered to Karakara. "We'll be okay."

 _It's an icy cave...I wonder if they're trying to awaken another Articuno?_

That thought sent shivers down Aura's spine. There was no way she would allow something like that to happen again.

 _I was so helpless that time…_ She thought to herself. _I don't want to feel like that again…_

"C'mon." Aura pressured Diane. "Let's go check inside."

 _I'm going to catch that woman in black…_

"No!" Diane refused. "Maybe later, but we need to participate in the Four Island contest right now!"

"I only need one more." Aura shrugged. "I can afford to skip."

 _I don't have time for something as meaningless as a contest when lives might be on the line…_

"I can't though." Diane countered. "Besides, I think you're just being paranoid. You're usually a lot more cheerful and carefree than this."

"Ugh, you sound like your a doctor or something…" Aura moaned.

"Janine, the Fuschia Gym Leader, was also our family's doctor." Diane said. "So I'm sure that something is up with you."

"Maybe you're the one that's being paranoid." Aura retaliated with a smirk.

 _How do you like them apples? I've turned the table on you._

"Aura…" Diane scolded through gritted teeth.

*Beeeeep*

"Attention Coordinators!" The captain's voice announced. "The Four Island Contest is due to begin in ten minutes! Any latecomers will not be added to the competition."

"Please…" Aura begged as she clasped her hands.

"No." Diane refused as she began to head towards the contest hall.

"And you should hurry, or you won't be allowed to participate. If you only need one more, this could be your big break."

Diane didn't turn around to see if Aura was following her, which was a good thing, Aura thought, since she would have been disappointed in what she saw.

"Bone…." Karakara expressed concern for Aura as she walked through the shallow pool of water in order to reach the entrance to Icefall Cave.

"Who knows?" Aura said to Karakara as the two of them entered the frozen and glistening cavern.

"Maybe defeating this woman will be what leads you to finally evolve."

"Cubone…." Karakara certainly didn't believe in that theory.

"Don't give me that sass, missy." Aura grinned at the Cubone.

"Now shh. We need to listen…"

Aura crept close to the cavern wall and ground.

It was a stretch to hear beyond the sound of the rushing waterfall inside the cave.

 _If only that waterfall wasn't making so much noise…_

 _Then again, because it's making that much noise, this must be a perfect spot for someone from NTR to head if they wanted to talk to another member about big plans…_

"Let's head deeper in." Aura said to Karakara.

"Bone…" Karakara seemed to want to leave.

"Fine." Aura rolled her eyes. "If you don't want to, I can just put you in your pokeball, alright?"

"Cuuu." Karakara was all too eager to go back into the pokeball.

 _She seemed really against this idea._

 _That must mean there's a dangerous grunt here that I've got to stop._

Aura massaged her temple.

 _The cold in here is giving me a headache…_

She waded through more chilly water before heading deeper into the cave.

 _Ah!_

Aura thought to herself upon finding a set of tracks left behind by human shoes.

 _The culprit's footprints!_

 _I'm closing in on her._

 _I'll figure out what she's up to, then defeat her and hand her over to Carmen._

 _Unless she's too dangerous for Carmen to handle…_

 _Then I'll have to…_

Aura shook her head.

She was getting off track.

Her first priority was to follow these tracks and see who they belonged to.

That was all for now.

She'd cross the other bridges when she came to them.

 _I hate this cold…._ She thought to herself.

 _W-why, out of all places, did I h-have to see a suspicious woman entering h-here? Why couldn't she have b-been entering the Pokemon Day Care center on the i-island? Ugh! It's fr-freezing...Even my thoughts are s-stuttering it's so c-cold…_

Aura gently put her foot in each individual footprint.

"First one foot, then the other…" She hummed quietly to herself to distract from the noiseless and empty cavern save the rushing waterfall.

 _There isn't much noise here…_

Aura noticed.

 _The footprints are heading this way, so I should be closing in on the suspicious lady…_

 _If I'm not hearing any noise, then she must be deliberately trying to avoid me, which means she knows that she's doing something she shouldn't be seen doing._

 _This woman is too clever for her own good._

 _I'm going to have to launch a surprise attack!_

Aura began to run into the final portion of the cave.

"S-stop right there!" She yelled at the top of her lungs.

Her eyes shrank as she lay sight to the body of a woman in black lying on the snowy ground, face down.

"H-hey!" Aura's worry shifted from what she thought the strange woman in black was doing to whether said woman was still alive.

"Hey, are you alright lady?"

She ran up to the woman in black and turned her over.

"Hello?" Aura asked, concerned.

The woman didn't answer.

Aura checked the woman's pulse.

She had a heartbeat. She was just unconscious.

Aura lay the woman down, this time face up, and took a good look at her.

She had long blonde hair.

Her eyes, when Aura opened them, appeared to be hazel.

She wasn't the tallest woman in the world either.

Aura estimated that she was only about 5'6" at the most generous of estimates.

Of course, none of this took from the fact that this woman was so obviously an NTR agent.

Aura could even see where the crimson letters had been stripped off of her black clothes.

They were cleverly faded to look like wrinkles.

 _This woman really is too clever for her own good._

Aura thought to herself.

 _Someone unsuspecting might have even mistook her for a regular woman, but a regular woman doesn't just wander off into Icefall Cave._

The sound of the rushing waterfall echoed throughout the entire cave.

Aura hadn't realized it while she was following the footprints, but she had climbed up to the top of the waterfall.

Looking at the lake inside the cave, she noticed a small grave.

 _Lappy?_

She thought as she read the smallest and shittiest tombstone in the world.

 _The heck does that mean? Is this some lame attempt at a cover up for what NTR is really doing in this cave?_

"Ugh…" The woman moaned as she began to awaken.

"Where am I?"

"Hello." Aura stuck a serious head over her. "Why did you run from me?"

"W-who are you?" The woman squinted her eyes.

"I don't think I've ever seen you before-"

"Liar." Aura huffed.

"I know you ran in here to get away from me."

"I can't do any running!" The woman replied, almost offended.

"I have a torn ligament in my left leg! You must have seen someone else."

 _Someone else...Someone else...Someone else!_

"Oooh…" Aura gave a sly grin as her glare intensified and her eyes began to tremble.

"I see what you're trying to do." She laughed. "The ligament, the wrinkles on your NTR uniform...the fake grave…"

"The hell are you talking about?" The woman backed away from Aura, who continued to move closer to the running water.

"Tell me…" Aura tilted her head as she asked in a sweet voice. "Is your Sevii Islands base on this island, or one of the other ones?"

"There isn't any NTR or whatever on this island!" The woman exclaimed, frantically.

"The closest thing the Sevii Islands have to criminals are the ex-cons hanging out on Five Island, and they're all reformed and serving the community!"

"Thanks for the information." Aura smiled. "It was smart of you to sell out your own kind like that."

She looked at the rushing water.

"Want to take a swim?" She asked. "Neo Team Rocket trash?"

"Wha-?" The woman began to ask as Aura readied her Safari Ball.

She was about to throw it to send out Huey when-

"Mom!"

Aura and the woman turned to see Cherry Devonshire, holding the Four Island ribbon in one hand.

"Piercey-Eyed girl? What are you doing?" Cherry asked Aura.

 _Rude. You should at least learn my name, you dumb blonde._

"Get off my mother right now!"

Aura instantly realized what she was doing, and quickly got up off of Cherry's mother.

"Oh no…" Cherry said as she walked up to the small grave.

"Lappy died didn't he?"

"Last month, today." Cherry's mother nodded.

"You shouldn't have put his grave up here." Cherry scolded her mother. "You have a bed leg. All that uphill moving is sure to exhaust you."

 _Oh, so she has a bit of a heart after all…_

"So what the hell were you doing, you crazy bitch?"

Cherry asked Aura in a bit of a shriek.

 _A_ _ **bit**_ _of a heart…_

 _Still though…_

 _What was I…_

"Gaaah!" Aura grabbed her head as a searing pain shot through it, bringing with it, the realization of what she had almost done.

She looked around, and noticed her hand, clutching Huey's Safari Ball.

She instantly had a flashback to what had happened in Berry Forest.

"I-I'm sorry…" She shook her head furiously.

"I'm so so so sorry! I thought your mother was someone else!"

"Well think before you act next time, dipshit."

 _Someone's been hanging out with Victor a little too much…_

Cherry helped her mother to her feet.

"Come on, Mom…" She said. "This was the last ribbon I needed. Let's rest up back home."

Aura looked at her hand, still clutching her Safari Ball, as she walked back towards the ship.

 _I can't believe I almost did that, back there._

 _She was an innocent woman, mourning the loss of her pokemon...and I almost…_

A mild pain shot through her head again.

 _No...What I almost did was justified. In fact, that woman is probably laughing her ass off that she got the better of me. But the joke's on her._

 _The next island we're visiting is Five Island, the home of the NTR grunts posing as ex-cons. We'll see who has the real last laugh…_

"Aura!" Diane yelled.

"Huh?" Aura asked. "Yeah?"

"I'll ask you again, for like, the billionth time, did you find who you were looking for?"

"You could say that…" Aura gave a sly smirk. "I think I did, yeah."

*Pallet Town*

Hue's Current Team: None

"Hue…" Helen woke Hue up.

"Professor Oak is here to see you."

Hue stretched as he sat up in his bed.

"Hello, Hubert." Professor Oak smiled from the chair next to Hue's nightstand.

"I understand you've been very busy on your pokemon journey."

"A little too busy for my own good." Hue joked as he looked at his bandaged stomach.

"The reason I'm here, Hubert." Professor Oak took out a small case, with a symbol that Hue had never seen before on it.

"Is to hand you this box full of what I believe will be a great medicinal cream for you. It should counter the effects of...well, the pokemon inside of you, or at the very least, it will make you feel a bit better."

Hue opened the box to see various tubs of a dark grey substance.

"You simply apply it topically to that strange wound on your stomach. It'll sting a bit at first, but you'll feel immediate relief afterwards."

He could almost hear Deus giving off a relaxed sigh in his mind.

"Rub in on right away, Hue…" Deus said, causing Hue's head to twinge with pain.

Hue quickly applied his first batch of cream.

Everything the Professor said, from the initial sting to the instant relief, was completely accurate.

"What's in this?" Hue asked the Professor as he managed to finally stand up for the first time in too long and Helen gave a small applause.

"Oh, various things." the Professor said. "But its mostly made up of carbon and ground up meteorite."

Hue looked at professor Oak with a confused expression.

"Where did you get _either_ of those things?"

"The same person sent them over to me." Professor Oak smiled. "After all, there's a large meteorite hanging in her parents' gym, and a large amount of carbon at the ready in her father's facility."

 _Ethel…_

"She seemed very eager to help when I explained the situation to her." Professor Oak asked.

"That was shocking! When I gave her her Bulbasaur, she looked so apathetic about the whole thing, as if she only got one to become a licensed trainer."

"Ethel has a habit of looking like that, even when she's excited about something." Hue nodded.

"She'll be visiting someday soon as well." Helen informed Hue.

"Try to not look as helpless as you do now by then."

 _She's mad that I made the 'mom' crack, isn't she?_

"Try walking to the window of the room, Hubert." Professor Oak encouraged him. "I think you'll like what you see."

Hue nodded, and slowly, very sloppily, and eventually with Helen supporting him, managed to walk to the window of the room.

As he opened it and looked outside, his eyes widened, and filled with happy tears as he smiled at all of his pokemon, waiting in a line.

First there was Douglas, Hue's Blastoise, his very first pokemon.

Next to him was Ace, his Pidgeot, and his first capture.

Next to her was Gumshoe, his Growlithe, grinning and wagging his tail while sitting proudly as a police pokemon.

Next to him was Arthur, Hue's Gallade, the pokemon that Hue had raised all the way up from an egg, given to him as a gift by a chivalrous friend.

Next to Arthur was Cooper, Hue's Cloyster, the pokemon he had talked into joining his team, and who originally belonged to the woman who was currently helping Hue stand up.

Next to Cooper was Venus, Hue's Victreebel. Hue found it funny that Venus could so calmly stand next to Cooper considering the reason she even agreed to join Hue was to become as strong as Cooper was.

Next to Venus was Bruce, Hue's Hitmonlee, who offered himself up to Hue back in Saffron after witnessing his previous owner's corruption.

Next to Bruce was Espella, Hue's Espeon, who helped Hue win the gym badge from his hometown, and evolved in his battle with Ethel to help take his mind off of the tragedy that preceded it.

Next to Espella was Vasquez, the shiny Rhyhorn, along with Andy, Rocky, Appa, and Hima, also all Rhyhorns, the herd of Rhyhorn that Hue had caught in his Safari Zone solely for the protection of another one of his pokemon.

Coincidentally, Gordon, Hue's Nidorino, was right next to the herd, standing peacefully now, and giving Hue a smile. Hue had always wanted to catch Gordon since he and his father helped protect it years ago. He was glad to finally have Gordon on his team.

Next to Gordon was Akane, the Ditto, a pokemon passed down to Hue from his father, and finally, next to Akane, was the Egg that Hue had recently won from the Cinnabar tournament.

All the pokemon were smiling at Hue (or beaming for those that didn't have the ability to smile), and were all standing in front of a giant "Get Well Soon" Banner, which contained each of their footprints in a different paint color, as well as being 'signed' by each pokemon.

"Thank you everyone!" Hue called out to his pokemon. "I promise I'll be better soon!"

They all cheered.

"You've certainly come a long way from when you were just a kid with a Squirtle, battling a girl in the very lab you were supposed to be cleaning up." Professor Oak said as Hue turned back around, feeling glad he looked out the window.

"So Professor...I've been wondering this for a while…"

"Yes?" Professor Oak asked.

"Why was it that Aura came to you on the same day that me and my friends did? You told us that we were the only ones that would be coming that day, and yet-"

Professor Oak sighed.

"The reason I told you that was in a successful effort to get you to notice her."

"Me?" Hue asked. "I don't follow."

"Immediately after…" Professor Oak looked at Helen.

She nodded.

He turned back to Hue.

"Immediately after Junzo's death, Aura called me and asked to become a licensed trainer. I told her she could, but I was worried, since she had just come out of such a tragedy, that she might try to do something foolish or drastic with her newfound pokemon and Trainer ID. That's why I thought it would be a good idea to have her encounter a subject from the kidnapping right away, that way she would attach herself to you, and have someone responsible to act as...well, basically as a babysitter for her."

Hue massaged his head.

"You mean to tell me….this entire time...The whole reason you rigged it so that Aura and I would meet each other in that lab…"

Hue's voice hadn't been this loud in quite a long time.

"Was so that I could act as a fucking babysitter?!"

"And you're doing an excellent job!" Professor Oak smiled.

Hue blinked twice, before moving closer towards the professor while being restrained by Helen.

"Let me at him-"

"No, Hue stop-"

"Let me-"

"Hue-"

"Ah-"

"Hue stop it!"

As Hue bid his visitor, and all his pokemon adieu, Helen finished talking on the phone with someone who sounded very frantic.

"Hue, that was my mother on the phone." She said seriously. "I need to go to Silph Co. in Saffron City ASAP. I'm sorry to leave you here like this, but I've called someone that I think you'll get along with very well. They should arrive by the time you wake up from your nap.

For now, get some sleep okay?"

"O-okay…" Hue said as Helen waved goodbye and left.

He was prepared for anyone to come through those doors.

What Hue wasn't prepared for…

"Hello again, Hue." An eerie and familiar voice said as Hue woke up to see him in the window.

"You remember me right?" He asked as he floated to the floor of Hue's room and sat on the foot of Hue's bed.

"Aren't you the pokemon inside Junzo's body?" Hue asked.

"Please…" The pokemon that looked like Junzo rolled his eyes.

"I told you already Hue... _my_ name is PJ."

He glided over to the chair near Hue's nightstand.

"And I'm here because there's something very important I need to tell you."


	64. AURA

Chapter 64:

A.U.R.A.

(Attack, Upon, Reformation, Association)

*Pallet Town*

"What did you want to tell me?" Hue asked PJ.

"A few things…" PJ said. "And I need to do it quickly before your new caretaker shows up and goes ballistic."

He held out his hand.

"First!" He said as he counted with each finger. "Muranaka Junzo is the name of Subject 1. Phineas Jones was the name that he gave _me_."

"Is that all you wanted to tell me?" Hue asked.

PJ shook his head.

"Second." He continued to count with his fingers. "By now you already know that both of Junzo's parents committed suicide together, and that Junzo planned to, and even eventually attempted it. What you might not know...is that they all suffer from a very serious condition."

Hue tilted his head.

"Bipolar Disorder." PJ continued. " In this specific instance, Bipolar II Disorder, It's a serious mental condition that has a high tendency to lead to suicidal thoughts and behavior. It looks kind of like a person will be full of energy and seemingly over the top at one moment, but could be at rock bottom the very next, even if nothing happens to cause such a shift. Of course, moments of normalcy are spread out amongst the episodes of hypomania and severe depression, but these episodes could last for days, or even months. During the manic stages of bipolar depression, individuals with bipolar disorder may experience increased energy, feelings of euphoria, insomnia, or impulsive behaviors, like shopping sprees…"

He turned to Hue. "Or promiscuous sex."

Hue suddenly felt like PJ was trying to tell him something that not even Junzo knew about when he was alive. Something only Hue was allowed to know.

Something that, if anyone else involved knew about it, they're world would be shattered.

Hue had a feeling that he knew what it was, but didn't press any further.

"Three." PJ counted on his fingers. "Bipolar Disorder, like many other mental illnesses, has many causes, but research shows that certain genetic groups have a predisposition for it, though that's not to say that just because your parents both had it, that you will too."

Hue nodded as PJ continued.

"Four." He counted again. "Your father named his Ditto after Muranaka Akane not because of any strong bond the two shared, but as a joke, because Akane, when she was alive, did not possess a shred of humor in her body. Your father thought that naming a Ditto, which can't keep up a transformation while laughing, after someone who never laughed, would be hilarious."

Hue nodded again.

"I guess that makes sense…" He said.

"And finally, number Five." PJ finished counting on his hand as he flew off of the chair near Hue's nightstand.

"External factors can cause bipolar disorder to develop in someone with a genetic vulnerability. A common one being stress, such as…"

He began to count on his other hand now.

"Getting married, heading to college, getting fired, moving…."

He looked directly at Hue again, as though this last one was more important than the others.

"Or losing a loved one." PJ finished.

He was about to leave, when he ducked his head back in through the window.

"Actually, I lied." He said.

"There is something more I want to say. Six!" He stuck one foot in through the window.

"Izaya took Akane's last name upon marriage." PJ said.

He stuck his other foot in the window "And finally, for real this time, Seven."

He glided up to Hue.

"There were three Muranaka sisters. Now there are none, but not all of them have passed away."

Hue felt confused at the last cryptic tidbit of knowledge PJ had given him, but a knocking at the door scared PJ away.

"Gotta go!" PJ smiled. "Good luck, Hue. Good luck Deus." He said to Hue's stomach.

"I'm rooting for you guys, you know!"

He disappeared as the door creaked open.

"Oh, you're awake." Ethel observed as she hauled in a cart of some delicious room service from the inn.

"Hopefully you're hungry enough to help eat dinner."

"Ethel...why are you here now?" Hue asked, confused. "Not that I don't appreciate it, but...I'm waiting for my next caretaker to arrive."

"She won't be coming." Ethel handed Hue a note.

Hue read it quietly to himself.

 _Hello, Hue Swanson._

 _I regret to inform you that I am far too busy with my duty as a gym leader to take care of you in person, so I have sent my stepdaughter along with a detailed list of instructions that your previous caretaker sent me, in my place. I believe that she is more than enough supervision for someone who can barely walk. Excuse her expressionless face. She's just like that._

 _-Viridian City Gym Leader Ross._

"You weren't kidding when you said your stepmother wasn't good with kids…" Hue said as he crumpled the note and threw it in a nearby trashcan.

"Three-pointer!" He exclaimed excitedly.

 _If Helen was here, she'd tell me to quit goofing off..._

Ethel gave a small giggle.

Hue already preferred his new 'caretaker' over the old one.

*Five Island*

Nebula Crane ran.

He ran as fast as he could.

It had been one hour since the head of his former friend and colleague wound up on the doorstep of the reformation facility, with a tag that said

"I know who you are. You can't run from me."

With a strange single, blood red 'A' as a signature.

At the time, only Nebula thought anything of it, considering the head belonged to a Neo Team Rocket Member, an organization that he once used to be a part of.

Everyone else, however, was quick to dismiss the whole thing as a prank.

"Don't be ridiculous, Crane." Nash Keeling laughed as he looked around the room at the fellow reformed ex-convicts.

"The entire reason we're out here on Five Island is for a fresh start. We've all already served our sentence. There's no way this isn't a kid pulling some dumb prank."

"This is the head of my friend!" Nebula argued.

"And this is the foot of my friend…" Nash held up a severed foot.

"Get that disgusting thing away from me." Nebula plugged his nose.

"And guess what?" Nash continued as he put the foot away, "No one's come for me yet."

Nebula sighed.

"Maybe I'm just being paranoid…"

He admitted.

"I'll say." Raven Roseberg sat down with the two of them.

"You've been skittish ever since you arrived here, but I have to say…" She scratched her scraggly brown hair.

"You might be playing it up a little _too_ much right now, y'know?"

Zen Carpathia, and Klark Onyx both laughed their heads off as though they were hyenas.

"Shut up." Nebula rolled his eyes as he looked back at the severed head of his friend and partner.

"Hey, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum…" Nash snapped his fingers and Zen and Klark.

"Where's your little ring master?"

"Still in bed." Zen answered.

"He was very tired." Klark added.

"Well then…" Nash turned to Raven.

"Care to wake up the slacker, boss?"

"Don't call me boss." Raven sighed as she stood up anyway.

"Crane, come on. You too. It'll take your mind off of bullshit."

"Y-yes, Miss." Nebula nodded.

The two of them headed down to the room of Xander Le Rouge, the only other ex NTR member in the whole Five Island Reformation Association, or FIRA, as the residents liked to call them.

Technically speaking, Xander Le Rouge was a former admin, but he turned himself in before Nebula was caught. He kept saying that he did it because his son was almost chosen as a guinea pig for something, but he would never explain to Nebula what he meant.

"Xander, Xander, Salamander…" Raven gave a knock on the door to his room.

"You in there buddy? We need you up and at em today! We're cleaning the meadow of debris this weekend remember?"

A loud _**thump**_ and _**clatter**_ were both heard from inside, followed by dead silence.

After three minutes, both Raven and Nebula looked at each other and nodded.

Raven took out her master key.

"If you're naked, we're sorry, but you aren't coming out so we're going in."

She turned the knob and opened the door fully.

What Nebula and Raven saw terrified them.

Xander Le Rouge was lying dead on the floor in a pool of his own blood.

Above him was an open air duct, which someone had clearly climbed into, judging from the bloody hand prints just inside it.

"Those...those are Scyther inflicted wounds." Nebula identified the pattern of the wounds on Le Rouge's body.

"I used to have one of those, so I should know."

"A Scyther got in here?" Raven asked, startled.

"And it must be angry." Nebula reasoned.

"After seeing red blood like this, it's probably going on a rampage."

"Why would a pokemon do something like this?" Raven wondered.

Nebula gasped as he noticed bloody writing on the wall.

"NTR Admin, Was He Your Boss, Grunt? - A"

"M-Miss Roseberg…" Nebula pointed to the writing on the wall.

"Oh no…" She sighed as she saw the writing.

She turned to Nebula.

"Go upstairs, tell everyone what's happening, and call the police. The nearest on duty cop should come."

"Right." Nebula shivered as he ran back upstairs towards the lounge.

"Nash!" He yelled as he arrived upstairs, where only Nash still remained.

"Xander's been killed by someone with a Scyther! We need to call the police immediately!"

"I'm on it!" Nash stood up right away.

"Zen and Klark are up on the balcon-ohholyshitsnacks!"

The dangling bodies of Zen and Clark both dropped down in front of the window.

The bodies themselves stayed motionless save for the small swaying like pendulums.

"Get on the phone right away!" Nebula ordered to Nash as he ran up towards the balcony to see what had happened.

When he went through the balcony doors, he saw a young girl standing next to two ropes knotted to the railing of the balcony.

She looked back at him, holding a Safari Ball.

Her dark green eyes seemed crazed and felt as though they were looking directly into his soul.

"They were dangerous…" She said with a smile as she walked towards Nebula, her long black hair making it seem like she was some hooded figure of doom.

"I was only acting in self defense. After all, a little girl can't trust registered sex offenders…"

She moved even closer towards Nebula as he backed up into the building.

"So, what are you in here for?"

A crazed smirk appeared on her face.

"NTR, eh?" She answered her own question.

"Did you think just because you got caught that you'd be forgiven for what you did to me?"

"I h-have no clue who you are!" Nebula yelled.

"Oh but I sent you one." The girl wagged her finger. "Tsk, Tsk, NTR Grunt."

Nebula's eyes shrank.

"Y-you're…A…"

"Ahaha, there you see? Now you've been caught lying to me too."

"That's not-"

"Fair?" The girl tilted her head.

"You're right, it isn't. Just like the death of my brother wasn't fair when all he wanted to do was know that everyone involved in that kidnapping incident was safe!"

"Listen, I don't know what you think I know-"

Nebula said as the girl edged even closer to him.

"But please, at the very least, give me a chance to tell you everything before you kill me!"

The girl smiled.

"No."

She tossed the Safari Ball up into the air…

And then quickly caught it before the pokemon could come out.

Her eyes seemed less crazed.

"Aggggh!" She screamed in agony, unnerving Nebula even more than she already had.

She turned to him.

Her eyes still had the piercing gaze to them, but they looked more pleading than anything.

"Run!" She yelled.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to do any of this! I was forced to! You need to _run!_ " She shrieked as she went fetal.

"Aggghhh!" She clutched her head, and rolled around on the floor as Nebula began to run, leaving behind a creepy young girl who kept repeating to herself, in an agonized moan.

"You hurt... You hurt…"

And so, without looking back, without going for any of his friends to warn them,

Nebula Crane ran.

He spent the night in the pokemon center.

The next morning, he woke up to a special report on the news.

"The Five Island Reformation Association, or FIRA, which offered food, shelter, and employment to ex-convicts as public servants, was hit hard last night by what appears to have been a devastating hurricane...not a trace remains of the facility, save for five unidentified corpses, which investigators assume to be unfortunate staff members. Authorities are puzzled on how a tropical storm could target only one area of the island, but-"

"N-no…" Nebula's eyes shrank.

"I don't have anywhere to go back to anymore…"

No self respecting company would hire him, and he couldn't use the pokemon center forever, especially since he wasn't a licensed trainer. He was now homeless, and out of a job.

A knock came on Nebula's door.

He opened it up.

"I have a package for you."

The delivery man said.

"Who from?" Nebula asked, concerned.

"Dunno." The man replied.

"I'm just the postal worker. But take the damn thing, it smells like a Skuntank and a Muk took a shit on a Trubbish."

Nebula, against his better judgement, took the package.

He opened it to reveal…

Raven's

Nash's

Xander's

Zen's

Klark's

And his NTR friend's heads.

Attached was an envelope.

The words "I'm Sorry, I couldn't stop it." were crossed out and replaced with the words "Do it long-ways for results."

Inside the envelope was a knife.


	65. A Perfect Pallet Town Performance

Chapter 65:

A Perfect Pallet Town Performance

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Protect, Rapid Spin, Water Pulse, Skull Bash

Venus(Victreebel): Leaf Blade, Stockpile, Swallow, Leaf Tornado

Vasquez(Rhyhorn*shiny): Horn Attack, Stomp, Bulldoze, Smack Down

Bruce(Hitmonlee): Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

Gumshoe(Growlithe); Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Egg (Sounds can be heard coming from inside! It's about to hatch!)

"You saw... _what?_ " Ethel asked as she helped Hue walk outside.

"I saw PJ." Hue replied. "I saw him, and he told me some really weird things…"

"I think you might have just had a strange dream…" Ethel dismissed what Hue was saying.

"But he left _right_ before you got here!"

"Sure he did, Huey." Ethel said.

 _With her monotone voice, the fact that she doesn't seem to believe me hurts just a little more._

"I'm telling the truth!" Hue exclaimed.

"So why are you bringing it up with me?" Ethel asked. "It sounds more like something you'd want to talk to Aura about-"

"She's over in the Sevii Islands though, and since the machine connecting their internet to Kanto's is down, we can't reach her."

Ethel's eyes widened, and Hue could feel her grip on his wrist tighten as the two of them stopped.

"You mean, she's not here on the mainland with you?" Ethel asked, seriously.

Hue could almost sense nervousness in her voice.

"No. She's still on the contest cruise, participating in contests." He answered.

He felt himself struggling to stand up as Ethel quickly ducked out from under him, her face flushed.

She looked as though she was calculating some sort of large mathematical equation in her head, and trying desperately to find an answer that worked.

"You okay?" He asked her.

She held up a finger to Hue.

 _One minute?_

A minute passed.

Ethel took a deep breath as the color returned to her face.

"Sorry about that…" She said, still looking slightly nervous.

The last time Hue had seen her look like that was when everyone was on the SS Anne.

She hoisted Hue's left arm over her left shoulder again.

"Let's try to see if we can get you around the block for now."

 _I could be wrong…_ Hue thought as Ethel led him down Starter Way, the name of the street the Inn was located on. _But I'm pretty sure we're a little closer together than when she was supporting me earlier._

He looked at Ethel out of the corner of his eye.

Her long white hair was being held behind her ears thanks to a Gracidea flower hairpin.

Her stoic ice blue eyes were focused forward, not losing sight of wherever she was headed.

 _She smells nice…_ Hue caught himself thinking. Which further made him certain that Ethel was closer than she had been before.

Hue didn't know why, but he felt almost embarrassed to be this close to Ethel.

Ethel's eyes eventually moved in their sockets towards Hue.

"Is something the matter Huey?" Ethel asked, still in her monotone voice. "If anything is bothering you, please let me know…"

"I mean…" Hue looked up and away embarrassed. "I'm sure you, of all people, have better things to do than take care of me. And I don't want to take away from any training you might have wanted to get done for either the League or Grand Festival… "

Ethel stopped Hue again.

"Huey….do you remember why I like you so much?" She asked with as genuine a smile as she could give.

Hue went red. "Umm…"

"Because you didn't treat me like some sort of important figure. You recognized me as a regular trainer and coordinator like everyone else. Please tell me that you still see me that way...You haven't let my parents' reputation obscure your vision of me have you?"

"Well…" Hue scratched the back of his head as he gave a nervous laugh. "I can't say that I can still just view you as just another trainer…" He answered honestly.

"But it's not because of your parents. It's because of you. Anyone who's as strong as they are pretty and kind isn't someone I can envision as 'just another trainer'."

 _Did...Did I just say that out loud?_

Whatever Hue had said, it was definitely the right thing to say, because even he could notice Ethel's bashful blush.

"To answer your earlier question then…" She said. "I don't mind helping you out when you're down like this Huey, because I know that you would do the same for me."

 _That's right…_

Hue remembered.

 _When we first met…_

 _She was bedridden...and I helped drive off some Pidgeys away from her Bulbasaur, and I even helped carry berries back._

"Thank you then, Ethel." Hue smiled as the two of them turned the corner. "For doing this on such short notice."

"I'm...happy to help." Ethel gave a shy smile.

The two gave small barely audible laughs before they both turned to face forwards, for only a few seconds, but what felt like an eternity.

 _I think we might be even closer now…_ Hue realized.

He heard something soft, and quickly looked at Ethel in his peripheral vision.

 _I can hear her breath…_ He noticed. _She breathes in slightly different pitches, which is almost melodic compared to the way she speaks._

After a few seconds of awkward walking in silence, Hue and Ethel both noticed the Pallet Town Contest Hall, with a big banner hanging over it.

"Pallet Town Contest Today." Ethel read. She looked at Hue.

"Would you like to watch it?"

Hue detected some sort of hidden meaning behind Ethel's question, but he didn't quite understand it. What he did understand though, was that he was two ribbons short of five, so he didn't have time to _watch_ contests.

"I'd much rather _participate_ in it." He said.

"Absolutely not." Ethel said sternly as she stomped her red shoe on the sidewalk.

The red shoes matched the read earings that she was wearing, and complimented her pure white top and skirt very nicely.

"Why?" Hue asked. "I applied that cream that Professor Oak gave me before we left the building, so I should be fine!"

"We don't _know_ that." Ethel countered.

 _Dammit, she's right...alright, Hue, think, you need a way to participate in that contest…_

"How about this?" He asked. "You let me participate, and when the contest is over, I'll treat you to dinner somewhere in town. How's that?"

"L-l-like a-?" Ethel's face went red.

"Do we have a deal?" Hue asked.

Ethel's foot tapped against the sidewalk as she crossed her arms, and began to think.

"Alright then." She finally said.

"But you'll have to walk into that building without me helping you, and if you can't do it, you still have to treat me."

"Fair enough." Hue smiled as he sent out Bruce, his Hitmonlee.

"Hitmonlee!" Bruce grunted as kept Hue upright while Hue walked across the street and into the Pallet Town Contest Hall.

 _She said without_ _ **her**_ _help, not without help at all._

Once inside the contest hall, Hue hit a dilemma.

He didn't know which pokemon to use for each stage of the contest.

"Well…" The receptionist lady said. "This contest is a bit special. In order to prepare for the Grand Festival, the Performance Stage will only consist of a single move from whichever pokemon you sign up for it, and the Battle Stage will consist of Double Battles, so you'll sign up two pokemon for that stage."

As Hue tapped a pen to his chin while he thought about the pokemon he wanted to enter in the contest...He noticed his egg start to crack.

 _It's...hatching…_

*Contest Hall*

Ethel's Current Team: Gardevoir: Draining Kiss, Heal Pulse, Psyshock, Moonblast

Venusaur: Grass Pledge, Double Edge, Frenzy Plant, Solar Beam

Chansey: Egg Bomb, Softboiled, Sing, Doubleslap

Nidoqueen: Poison Fang, Crunch, Earth Power, Body Slam

Butterfree: Stun Spore, Psybeam, Double Team, Bug Buzz

Glaceon: Hail, Ice Shard, Mirror Coat, Attract

Ethel took her seat as the contest started.

Hopefully, Hue would be able to manage himself up on stage. The last thing she wanted was for him to have a repeat of what had allegedly happened last time.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen!" The announcer exclaimed as the audience erupted into cheers and applause, while Ethel slowly and nervously clapped along with them.

 _Never a fan of the noise that these people make…_ Ethel thought to herself. _It's a lot quieter up on the stage itself._

"First up!" The announcer gestured as a girl that Ethel thought looked a tad familiar walked onto the stage.

 _I think Hue and Aura were talking to that girl during the Water Warfare competition…_

"Lindsey Bailey!" The announcer exclaimed as Lindsey tipped her western style hat to the audience.

"Go!" She yelled as she tossed a pokeball. "Quilava!"

 _This is modeled to be a mini version of the grand festival…_ Ethel reminded herself.

 _Performers will only get one move to show off what they can do._

"Quilava!" Lindsey called out, " Use Flame Wheel like we planned!"

"Quiiiiilllllaaaavvvaaaahhh!" The Quilava began to create such a large flamewheel that when it finally stopped, the residual flames made it look like the Quilava was made of fire itself.

The audience seemed to really enjoy it.

 _Hrm…._ Ethel thought to herself as she clapped along anyway. _A common fire-based performance_.

"Next up!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Is Signia Summer!"

A tall blonde woman with all manner of flowers in her hair and a green gown on walked onto the stage. The way she carried herself seemed pretentious, and something about her overall demeanor made Ethel not like her one bit.

"Lilligant…" Signia summoned her Lilligant out on stage.

"Let's entrance these pedestrians with a Quiver Dance…"

As the Lilligant moved much like Ethel's Butterfree, the audience gave plenty of claps again.

Ethel didn't applaud that time.

For one reason or another, that woman simply rubbed her the wrong way.

The announcer continued.

"Next up, we have...Sierra Randolph!"

Ethel recognized Sierra from the Water Warfare competition as well.

She was the strangely exhausted girl that only spoke three syllables at a time outside of battle.

"Lampent, go!" Sierra called as she sent out a Lampent.

 _Why can't Dad just upgrade my pokedex to National already?_ Ethel wondered as Sierra's Lampent did a playful act making use of its Will-o-Wisp attack.

 _If he'd just spend two minutes on it, I'd be able to actually learn what kind of pokemon that Lampent actually is…_

The audience applauded as Sierra and Lampent finished playing with the Will-o-Wisps.

"Next up…" The announcer exclaimed. "Is Septimus Spring!"

A man walked out onto the stage.

He was a tall man with a very big belly and very thin legs. His brown hair looked more like a dead Raticate than a real hairdo.

"Vileplume!" He yelled out as he sent out a Vileplume.

"Grassy Terrain!" He ordered.

 _He doesn't seem to be one much for contests…_ Ethel thought to herself as practically the quietest applause she had ever heard hushed its way through the stadium.

"Next up…." The announcer said. "Morren Rex!"

 _Morren Rex...why does that name sound familiar?_

Ethel's eyes widened as she saw the client from the murder case she had helped Hue solve in Fuchsia City.

 _So that's Morren Rex…._ She thought to herself. The first thing she noticed were his abnormally large glasses.

 _No wonder someone framed him for a crime, he looks incredibly easy to pick on like that…_

"Go, Kadabra!" Morren exclaimed as he sent out his Kadabra.

"Kadabra!" The Kadabra said.

"Kadabra!" Morren called out. "Use Telekinesis!"

"Kaaaaa…." The Kadabra used a Telekinesis attack to lift Morren into the air.

The crowd loved it.

Ethel thought that for a contest about pokemon, it showed off the trainer a little too much, but other than that she couldn't find much fault.

She clapped along.

"Up next…." The announcer exclaimed. "Is Arolina Autumn!"

Another tall woman walked out onto stage. This one reminded Ethel of Diane's opposite twin. Someone who didn't have many feminine features, but whose personality and body language fit almost perfectly into the stereotypical 'dainty lady' role.

"Go!" The Arolina said. "Pumpkaboo!"

"Pumpkaboo!" The pumpkin like pokemon said as it hovered in the air.

"Pumpkaboo!" Arolina yelled. "Play catch with your Bullet Seed!"

The audience seemed to enjoy it, but Ethel found it quite unoriginal.

 _She's just copying what Sierra's Lampent did...Is there no one with a good performance here?_

"And finally…" The announcer exclaimed. "Let's all welcome Hue Swanson!"

The crowd cheered as Hue walked onto the stage.

 _I wonder what he's going to use. I also hope he doesn't disappoint me like most of the other performers this time. I understand that one move is hard to work with, but…_

"Go!" Hue yelled as he tossed a pokeball out. "Betruger!"

 _I don't think he's named any of his pokemon that-_

Ethel's thought was cut off as she realized what had happened.

"Inkay!" The small, chibi, floating squid-like pokemon squeaked with joy.

"Alright, Betruger…" Hue said as he very slowly knelt down, doing his best to make it look like he didn't need any help.

 _His egg hatched into...that thing?_

"I know you haven't gotten much practice in, but I believe in you."

"Inkay!" Betruger gave a cheerful nod.

"Betruger!" Hue called as he stood back up. "Use Reflect!"

"Inkay!" Betruger created a screen of energy that reflect the spot lights so that they shone over various audience members.

And then they stopped on Ethel.

All the surrounding audience members now had their eyes on her.

 _Way to make me feel nervous Huey…._

"Hi, Ethel!" Hue called out. "Thank you for letting us participate in the contest! We're both having a blast because of you right now!"

"Y-you're welcome…" Ethel managed to muster back, as touched as she was embarrassed.

 _I'm going to eat the most expensive dishes to punish you for that embarrassment…_

As Betruger and Hue took a bow and left the stage, sounded out by an enormous applause, the announcer tapped her microphone.

"Ahem…" She said.

"Now, please wait while we determine the two coordinators who will compete in the Battle Stage of the contest."

During the small intermission, Ethel looked at her pokedex.

There was a message from her stepmother.

 _Ethel,_

 _Just don't catch anything that isn't a pokemon._

 _-Mom_.

"Is she watching me?" Ethel looked around for her stepmother, but couldn't see her anywhere.

Was this just some sort of attempt to be funny?

Ethel had no clue.

And she almost never referred to herself as 'Mom...'

 _Maybe someone took her pokedex and decided to play a prank. Although, if they did, they're probably suffering a rather hefty and tedious punishment right now. No one can work somebody to the bone in a more agonizing way that my stepmother._

But Ethel did enjoy the sternness of her stepmother. It taught her early on a clear difference between right and wrong, and whenever the area seemed grey, Ethel always seemed to make the choice that her stepmother would either agree with, or come to agree with after Ethel explained herself.

 _I live in a family of awkward people…_ She realized as the announcer came back.

"Alright…" She said. "Feast your eyes on our two final coordinators!"

The very fist face up on the monitor was Hue's with a perfect score.

A baby exotic pokemon, along with a sickly contestant that's participating because a well-known coordinator let him.

 _That is a really, really smart way to get a perfect score...but I'm still going to make sure he knows how embarrassed I was when he did that._

The other face was Morren's.

 _Alright…_ Ethel thought to herself.

 _I can see why, even though I don't necessarily agree with it…_

"This will be a two on two double battle!" The referee said. "The match will be over either when the timer runs out, when one coordinator's points drop to zero, or when a single pokemon on either side is no longer able to battle. Trainers, send out your pokemon."

"Go!" Morren called out. "Charmeleon and Raticate!"

"Charmeleon!" The Charmeleon hissed.

"Raticate!" The Raticate...also hissed.

"Go!" Hue called out. "Bruce and Douglas!"

"Hitmonlee!" Bruce pounded his stomach.

"Blaaassstoise!" Douglas bellowed as he also pounded his stomach.

"It looks like it's Morren's Charmeleon and Raticate against Hue's Hitmonlee and Blastoise!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Coordinators ready?" The ref asked.

"I've been looking forward to a battle against you, Hue." Morren snickered as he adjusted his glasses in a way that Ethel could only describe as ineffective. "I'm ready."

"I'm ready as well." Hue nodded to the referee. "After seeing a perfect score, I'm certainly not going to lose now, especially not with Ethel watching."

Ethel tried to cover her red face.

She was glad she didn't have the ability to squeal.

"Battle, Start!" The ref called out.

Hue instantly knew what he wanted to do.

"Douglas, shoot a Water Pulse from each of your cannons as Charmeleon! Bruce, use Rolling Kick on the Raticate!"

"Blastoise!" Douglas shot two Water Pulses from his cannons as Bruce silently began to roll towards Morren's Raticate.

Before Morren even had a chance to call out what he wanted his pokemon to do, they were both down on the ground.

Ethel had no clue what to make of that finale.

 _At least Huey got his fourth ribbon though. Now he only needs one more._

*A Taste of Heaven*

Hue's Current Team(A Birthday look):

Party:

Douglas(Blastoise): Protect, Rapid Spin, Water Pulse, Skull Bash

Venus(Victreebel): Leaf Blade, Stockpile, Swallow, Leaf Tornado

Vasquez(Rhyhorn*shiny): Horn Attack, Stomp, Bulldoze, Smack Down

Bruce(Hitmonlee): Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

Gumshoe(Growlithe); Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Betruger(Inkay): Constrict, Peck, Tackle, Reflect

Pokemon At Oak's Lab:

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

Ace(Pidgeot): Roost, Twister, Wing Attack, Feather Dance

Espella(Eevee): Refresh, Swift, Take-Down, Covet

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Fury Cutter

Vasquez(Rhyhorn*shiny): Horn Attack, Stomp, Bulldoze, Smack Down

Andy(Rhyhorn): Horn Attack, Stomp, Fury Attack, Take Down

Appa(Rhyhorn): Take Down, Scary Face, Smack Down, Horn Attack

Hima(Rhyhorn): Stomp, Scary Face, Smack Down, Chip Away

Rocky(Rhyhorn): Horn Attack, Chip Away, Smack Down, Take Down

Akane(Ditto): Transform

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

"Wow…." Hue said as he looked at the bill that the waiter had given him.

"That is a hefty price for such little food…"

"It's called A _Taste_ Of Heaven, not a _Plateful_ of Heaven." Ethel said.

"Are you mad about something?" Hue asked. "I get the distinct impression that you might be mad about something."

"Of course I'm mad about something!" Ethel stood up. "I told you already that I don't like to be put up on a pedestal like that!"

"I'm sorry!" Hue said quickly in response. "But I was just so happy to be in a contest, especially after I couldn't make the most out of those cruise tickets you gave me and Aura. I wanted to thank you more than just...this dinner."

"I...I see…" Ethel said. "I suppose...that maybe I'm a little sensitive about attention though."

"I see…" Hue said. "It looks like we're getting worked up over nothing then. This is supposed to be a happy moment."

"Winning your fourth ribbon isn't something to be _that_ happy about, Huey." Ethel said.

"Oh, that's not what this is." Hue shook his head.

"Every year, on this particular day, April 24th,, I like to treat my loved ones to dinner, because it's my birthday."

He smiled at Ethel. "That's the reason I was determined to walk outside, and participate in a contest, even though, as you said, we didn't know if I was ready yet. In fact, I'll probably sleep through all of tomorrow, I feel so tired."

"Th-this was your birthday dinner?" Ethel asked, stunned. "Th-then let me pay for it at least, please!"

"No way." Hue shook his head with a smile. "I've always done this, and for far more women than just one usually…"

He gave Ethel a smile.

"I guess this is technically the end of our second date isn't it?" He asked with a nervous laugh. "The whole SS Anne party ended in disaster. At least this one has a happy ending."

Ethel gave a small surprised gasp, and then smiled.

Hue didn't ask for it, but he still enjoyed the fact that Ethel linked her arm with his as she helped him walk back to the room at the inn.

"You should have mentioned it was your birthday earlier." Ethel scolded him. "I could have gotten you a better present."

"Present?" Hue asked with a yawn as he got back in his bed, and pretty much began to drift off to sleep..

Ethel nodded.

She leaned over from the chair next to the nightstand, and gently kissed him.

"That was your present. Happy Birthday Huey." She whispered as she left the room.

For the first night, in practically forever, Hue felt at peace as he fell asleep.

 _Nope..._ He thought to himself. _She's definitely not just another trainer..._


	66. Rest and Recovery

Chapter 66:

Rest and Recovery

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Protect, Rapid Spin, Water Pulse, Skull Bash

Venus(Victreebel): Leaf Blade, Stockpile, Swallow, Leaf Tornado

Vasquez(Rhyhorn*shiny): Horn Attack, Stomp, Bulldoze, Smack Down

Bruce(Hitmonlee): Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

Gumshoe(Growlithe); Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Betruger(Inkay): Constrict, Peck, Tackle, Reflect

"It's a good thing she didn't believe you." PJ said as he woke Hue up. "When I give you cryptic hints in secret, the implication is that you figure out what they mean by yourself, not try and give away info to the first set of legs to walk through your door."

"Why are you back here?" Hue asked, very sure that PJ was not just some odd dream he was having.

"I'm back because I wanted to yell at you." He answered with a smile. "But I decided instead on just reminding you to not share any info or knowledge with anyone anymore. At least, not until you're _certain_ you know the whole story behind this mystery."

"That doesn't sound like I'll be telling anyone anything anytime soon." Hue noted.

"That's right." PJ nodded. "Oh, and one more thing, before dawn cracks and your caretaker comes back…"

He glided up to Hue.

"You're going to have a few very eager visitors soon. They've been itching to see you."

"Who are they?" Hue asked.

PJ put a finger to his lips and gave a grin.

As the tapping of Ethel's shoes began to echo through the hallway, PJ quickly ducked out of the room.

"Why do you keep leaving the window open?" Ethel asked as she walked to the window that PJ had just flown out of and looked for signs of a robbery or something.

"I-I need the fresh air." Hue answered honestly.

"If you want fresh air, we should see how well you can handle yourself outside." Ethel replied.

"Come on, get up and out of that bed."

"Um…" Hue's face went red.

"I would but...I'd need you to um…."

Ethel's face flushed as she realized what Hue was trying to tell her.

"O-of course. Sorry. I'll wait." She said as she quickly left the room and let Hue change in privacy.

 _Today's the day that the Sevii Islands Cruise stops on Seven Island…_

 _I wonder if the weather is good over there as well…_

After Hue was done changing, he managed to slowly and steadily leave the room, to find Ethel waiting right in front of him when he opened the door.

As soon as Ethel realized how close the two of them were, she quickly backed up towards the other side of the hallway.

"S-sorry, sorry." She apologized. "I thought you would call me back in! I didn't mean for that to happen."

Hue almost laughed. It sounded funny when she apologized profusely in such a monotone voice.

"I think I can manage slowly moving around my room by now." Hue said. "But long walks, especially ones up and down stairs and shit are going to be a pain to get used to again."

"Did you remember to apply the cream?" Ethel asked him.

"Yes." Hue nodded. "I've been doing it every morning and evening, as well as whenever the wound hurt. It's unfortunate that I haven't been able to talk to Deus at all but…"

"Deus is the name of the Pokemon?" Ethel asked for clarification.

"Yeah." Hue nodded. "He's always been really helpful when I needed him, but boy, using his abilities is really painful."

Hue tapped his head. "Especially up in the old noggin."

Ethel gave a small giggle.

She held a hand.

"Come on then. Let me help you down the stairs."

Hue could feel his face blushing as he took her hand.

Truth be told, he was thinking some very confusing thoughts.

That night on his birthday, though not technically his _first_ kiss, it was still his first kiss that wasn't a complete accident.

He felt a very strong need to talk to Ethel about what happened, but he didn't know when a good time to do it would be. He obviously couldn't just ask "Hey, Ethel, about that night…" In public. Heads would turn.

Furthermore, Hue wasn't even sure how he even _felt_ about it….

He certainly _liked_ it… That wasn't an issue.

And the more time he spent with Ethel, the more time he realized how much more emotionally mature she was than Aura, who shifted moods at the tipping of a hat.

 _Aura is certainly lively and exciting, but that's often pretty draining on someone like me, who can't keep up with her pace often._

 _Ethel on the other hand is often noble and generous and often makes me feel...It's hard to describe what I feel like…Instead of 'tired' like with Aura, Ethel makes me feel...at ease, I guess..._

 _I wish I knew what to do._

"Huey?" Ethel tilted her head as reality sunk back into him.

"Hm?" Hue asked, thoroughly embarrassed to have been fantasizing for that long.

"We're outside." Ethel told him.

She looked down at their connected hands.

"If we want you to learn to walk on your own again, you'll need to let go."

"R-right…" Hue said getting a little flustered and letting go.

 _I guess maybe I forgot about that. I should have let go sooner._

As Hue began to slowly walk around, very steadily getting the hang of moving weight from one foot to another and making sure nothing at all came anywhere near his stomach, he realized it.

 _Wait a minute...If we were holding hands,_ _ **she**_ _could've easily been the one to let go!_

"Hey." Hue said to Ethel as he walked up to her. "I have a question."

"What is it?" Ethel asked. Her long white hair was being held in a ponytail, resting on her right shoulder, so she began to stroke it, and switch it between shoulders. "I'll answer to the best of my ability."

 _I wonder if that's a sign that she's nervous…._

"I want to talk to you about-"

Hue was cut off by a loud "Salutations, Sir Swanson!"

 _Sir Swanson? That can only be…_

"It is I...Davon Le Rouge!" Davon announced himself. "Here to visit my good friend whom I haven't seen since Seafoam!"

He noticed Ethel next to Hue.

"And Miss Ross!" Davon bowed, acknowledging Ethel's presence. "I must say, it's quite rare to run into the two of you and not see either of your tag-alongs. Am not interrupting anything intimate am I?"

 _You certainly might be!_

"Not at all." Hue answered. "I assume you're here because you-"

"I heard that you were feeling far under the weather." Davon nodded. "And I can't have that! You and I are going to face off in the finals of both the Grand Festival and Pokemon League after all."

He turned to Ethel. "Sorry for spoiling our victory, Miss Ross."

Ethel rolled her eyes, but gave a small smile.

"Oh, that's right…" Hue realized. He sent out Betruger.

"Inkay!" Betruger chimed as she floated in midair.

"Is this blue enough for you? It's an egg I won at-"

"Well, it isn't…" Davon answered right away. "But I don't want you to feel indebted to me. If you won the egg, you keep what hatches from it."

"Then why did you give me Arthur's egg back in Pewter?" Hue asked.

"Because…" Davon sighed.

"I recognized you. Eight and a half years ago, I was there, and I can prove it. Before you were taken down with that Dragonite girl, you sat in a cell with a dark skinned boy who we both know is Donovan, and there was a small leak in the corner of the cell, where water kept dripping down. I was in the cell across from you, and my cellmate… well…you probably know her too. In fact, she should be on her way over here with a new little buddy of hers."

"I see…" Hue said.

"Oh, but don't let that distract you from the obvious fact that we are still the most amiable of comrades, Sir Swanson!"

He put his arm around Hue as he brushed his gelled blonde hair back and turned Hue towards the sea, south of Pallet Town.

"We won't let anything get in the way of our conquest for love!"

Ethel looked at her pokedex. Hue couldn't tell if she had heard what Davon said and was pretending she hadn't or if there was actually a message she was reading.

 _People are going to take it the wrong way if you say it like that…_

"It doesn't matter if our very valentines leave us for a Sevii Islands cruise and force us to wait alone in depressing and terrible isolation for their return, while they have an absolute blast as tourists of one of the most tropical locations in our known world!"

 _Davon, you're a great guy, but you're saying all the wrong things right now…_

"Oh my goodness!" Ethel said as she looked up from her pokedex, and walked up to Hue.

"Check your pokedex." She said with a serious look in her eyes.

She didn't seem worried, so it must have been good news.

Hue took out Dean and noticed a single message from someone who had not been registered in his pokedex.

"Your friends are fine, and on their way towards you. I told them what you did for them. -R."

 _Regalia?_

Hue wondered. She was the only one that Hue knew was in possession of any of his friends whose name also started with an R.

"Davon…" Hue turned to Davon. "Your cellmate...her name was Twilight wasn't it?" He asked.

Davon looked surprised for a second, before he smiled and nodded.

"You've certainly been getting around, Sir Swanson." Davon nodded.

"I'm sure you have met plenty of faces that I know from earlier as well, Sir Le Rouge." Hue decided to answer in kind.

Davon let out a hearty laugh.

Hue understood why Karen wasn't into him. Davon was one of those personalities that was very strong. Someone as independant as Karen Walls wasn't going to react well to someone as intrusive as Davon.

 _Intrusive might be a bit harsh of a word, but it's the best one I can think of._

"So, Twilight and Freddie are coming here eh?" Hue asked no one in particular.

He turned towards an open path.

"Let's see if I can walk on my own by the time they get here!" He said with a determination to achieve the goal he had just set.

Ethel and Davon both smiled (though it was very small in Ethel's case), and gave small laughs as they nodded in agreement.

*Seven Island*

Aura's Current Team: Karakara(Cubone*shiny): Bonemerang, Fling, Perish Song, Earth Power

Koko(Beedrill): Swords Dance, Pin Missile, Poison Jab, Endeavor

Nazono(Bellossom): Petal Dance, Sunny Day, Sweet Scent, Grassy Terrain

Strike(Scyther): Swords Dance, Night Slash, X-Scissor, Razor Wind

Fushi(Venusaur): Growth, Synthesis, Solar Beam, Frenzy Plant

Huey(?): ?,?,?,?

"S-stop...pulling!" Aura said, frustrated, as Diane dragged her tightly by her arm towards the Seven Island Contest Hall.

"I will not!" Diane replied, quite forcefully. "You're participating in the last contest of the cruise whether you like it or not!"

"Ugh, you sound like Huey…"

"Of course I do. I'm his sister."

Aura grumbled.

"See? It's this type of attitude that's getting me worried about you!" Diane said. "You skipped the Four Island contest to chase your imaginary woman, you skipped the Five Island contest for Arceus knows what reason! The meadow was hit with a hurricane! We were all so worried about you, and all so relieved when you turned up on the ship, completely safe, but you spent _all_ of our time at Six Island in your room! That's three fucking contests in a row that you've been acting weird for!"

"And I don't want to go to this one either!" Aura snapped.

"Oh, you're going." Diane gave a slight laugh as she nodded her head.

"I don't care _what's_ gotten into you, but this is the very last contest of the cruise, so the least you could do is enjoy it with the rest of us. It's a _common courtesy._ "

"My brother was murdered by the boss of a criminal syndicate and I was forced to live at a Fight Dojo and wear hakamas for months on end. I'm not exactly _common…_ "

"You're certainly not _courteous_ either…" Diane huffed.

"Just this one last contest and then you can mope about in your room all day. I promise." She said.

Aura bit her nail and looked away.

 _I'm not moping around in my room all day. I'm making sure something isn't there…_

She looked around nervously.

The events of Five Island still haunted her in her memory.

It had taken every ounce of strength she had to allow that Nebula Crane ex-grunt to run to safety, but she managed to undo all her work by sending him trauma in a box, as well as a knife and a note suggesting what he use it for.

 _I didn't want to do that….The other me did…But i'm scared...Scared that someone will find out and tell everyone...And then I'd be all alone again…_

Aura sighed.

"Fine…" She gave in. "I'll participate in the contest, but I just want to let you know that I don't appreciate being forced to do stuff…"

 _That goes for you too other me…_

The announcer was very cheery. "Welcome to the final contest of the Sevii Islands Contest Cruise!" She chimed as excitedly as Aura had ever heard her chime.

That or maybe she had just been away from contests for too long.

"We have a special finale for you today!" She said. "To get into the spirit of the Grand Festival, which is just around the corner for many of these coordinators, we're going to model this final contest after the format of the gran festival! That means that in the Performance Stage, pokemon can only perform a single move! And it also means that the Battle Stage will be in Double Battle format!"

"Kind of like how the gyms started making us adhere to the Indigo Pokemon League Tournament rules…" Aura noted as she waited in the waiting room dressed in dark, earthy colors.

"Yeah." Diane agreed. "But what about the themes?"

Her question was answered by the announcer continuing to do her job.

"And for those of you in your seats, wondering about the theme of this contest, wonder no longer! Let's get a look at the performance theme!"

She motioned to the giant monitor above the stage.

All the coordinators in the waiting room looked at their monitor.

 _ **Like Receiving Your Own Gift.**_

"That sounds like an easy to interpret one!" Aura said, excitedly, to Karakara, momentarily forgetting how on edge she was about what she had done in the past week.

This was a contest after all.  
She deserved to have fun.

"First up!" The announcer said. "Karen Walls!"

Karen walked out onto the stage and sent out her pokemon.

"Go!" She called out. "Magnezone!"

"Magnezooone…" What Aura knew was an evolved form of Magneton appeared, hovering over the stage.

Aura held up her pokedex.

No Data.

 _Why can't Huey be here to scan this thing?_ Aura wondered as she put her hand to her stomach.

 _I hope he's doing okay with...that…_

She shook her head rapidly.

 _No, no, no, think happy thoughts. Happy thoughts. Enjoy the contest. Enjoy the contest…_

"Magnezone!" Karen called out.

"Use Mirror Shot!"

"Mag-ne-zone!" The Magnezone beeped robotically as it shot various reflective spheres all around it, each one reflecting the light in such a way, that no matter how you looked at them, you could see Karen's Magnezone hovering in the reflection.

The audience cheered as Karen and Magnezone both bowed.

"Next up!" The announcer exclaimed. "Is Carmen Yiddle!"

"Go!" Carmen yelled as she headed out onto the stage.

"Arcanine!"

"Arrrrrcanine!" The Arcanine roared majestically.

Aura held up her pokedex.

"[Arcanine]." The pokedex chimed in its robotic female voice. "The [Legendary] Pokemon. The evolved from of Growlithe, Arcanine is known for its bravery and fierce loyalty. Growlithe evolves into Arcanine from its use of a Fire Stone. Arcanine runs so smoothly, it appears to be flying and is known for its majestic cry."

 _I wonder if Gumshoe will ever become an Arcanine…_

"Arcanine!" Carmen called out. "Use Roar!"

"Aaaarrrrccccaaaannnniiiinnnneeee!" The Arcanine let out a long and majestic roar.

Aura found herself in complete awe as the move almost did the exact opposite of what it normally was meant to be used for in battle, and commanded her complete attention.

"That Arcanine does look really cool…." She found herself admitting almost against her will.

"It sounds cool too…" Diane agreed.

Carmen and her Arcanine gave a bow and the audience erupted with applause.

"Next up!" The announcer continued.

"Monica Wright!"

Monica walked out onto the stage.

"Go!" She called as she sent out her pokemon. "Delcatty!"

 _Delcatty?_

"Delllllcattyyyy!" An adorable feline-esque pokemon chimed as it was sent out.

Aura held up her pokedex.

Just as she thought, no data.

 _Maybe it's from Hoenn…_

"And Monica sends out the Delcatty she used back in the Hoenn Grand Festival!" The announcer exclaimed. "What could she be planning this time?"

"Delcatty!" Monica called out. "Use Double Slap to do a few backflips!" She called out.

"Del!" The pokemon chirped with excitement as it brought its tail down to the floor and slapped with all its might, sending it into the air. It did a backflip, and upon coming back down, slapped the ground again, repeating the process. This continued for an additional three flips before Delcatty finally stopped.

The audience erupted into applause.

Aura looked at Karakara, who she was holding in her arms.

"We'll be up soon. Are you ready?"

"Bone!" Karakara chimed, excited to be participating in the contest and not tracking down members of a dangerous criminal syndicate.

Monica and Delcatty bowed and left the stage.

"Allright!" The announcer announced.

"Up next, please welcome Diane Dorsey!"

Diane walked out onto the stage as the audience cheered.

"Go!" She called out. "Nixor!"

"Onnnix!" Diane's Onix, Nixor, roared as it was sent out.

"Nixor!" Diane cheered as she gestured to the audience.

"Use Dragonbreath!"

"Onnnniiixxxx!" Nixor let loose a large amount of blue fiery breath from its mouth, cloaking the area surrounding it in fire, making it seem like some sort of serpentine dragon that had risen from the planet's core.

The audience grew loud with cheers and claps.

Aura looked on in awe. "All of these moves are amazing…" She mumbled.

She looked at Karakara.

"Hopefully we can manage this, right girl?"

"Cubone." Karakara nodded.

"And last but not least…" The announcer exclaimed. "Let's give it up for Aura Jones!"

Aura walked onto the stage with Karakara in her arms.

"You ready Karakara?" She asked.

"Bone!" Karakara chimed as she hopped out of Aura's grasp and held out her bone the way a hero might hold their sword when making a valiant speech.

Aura nodded.

"In that case! Use Bonemerang! But hop on your bone!"

"Cuuuu…." Karakara threw her bone and quickly and lightly jumped onto it as it began to circle around the circular stadium.

The audience began to cheer and laugh and applaud as Karakara surfed passed them on her bone, giving those who dared to reach for her tiny Cubone high-fives.

Aura gave a sigh of relief as Karakara returned to the original spot that she had thrown her bone from, jumped off, and caught the bone.

 _We've been working on that one since she first learned Bonemerang. I can't believe she pulled it off without messing up even a little bit…_

The audience wild absolutely wild.

"Who can blame you guys?" The announcer sympathized with them.

"Not many can claim to have touched a shiny pokemon before!"

 _Oh that's right…_ Aura realized as she and Karakara both gave bows. _I spend so much time with her, I sometimes forget that she's not the same color as a normal Cubone…_

"That's our last coordinator." The announcer exclaimed.

"But since this is the last contest, we'll let four people advance to the Battle Stage! And since it's Grand Festival rules, you aren't confined to using the same to pokemon for both battles! You can switch it up if you want!"

Aura cheered along with the other coordinators in the room, save Carmen, who covered her ears and looked around bitterly at everyone.

"Coordinators!" The announcer exclaimed. "Please look at the monitor to determine who made it to the Battle Stage!"

Aura looked at the monitor.

In a shocking turn of events,

Diane was in the lead with 26 points.

Aura was in a close second with 25 points.

And Carmen and Monica were tied with 23 points each.

"We did it, Karakara!" Aura said, happy that Diane had managed to pressure her into the contest.

"Coordinators!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Please look at the monitor to determine who your opponent will be for the first round!"

Aura looked at the monitor.

Aura VS Carmen.

She snickered as she looked Carmen's way.

 _Oh, I've been looking forward to the day I get to battle you…_

"Don't expect an easy fight…" Carmen warned her.

"Now, let's look at the theme for the semi-finals!" The announcer exclaimed as she motioned to the large monitor.

 _ **Fighting The Setting Sun**_

"What?" Carmen asked. Unenthusiastic about the open to interpretation and fake idiom.

Aura looked at the pokemon she had.

"I've already got an idea for who I want to use." She said with wry smile.

 _I'm lying. I just want to trip Carmen up if I can._

"You're lying." Carmen sighed. "I can read that shit all over your face, kid."

 _Stupid police detective…_

AURA VS CARMEN

"This first match will be Aura Jones of Saffron City, VS Carmen Yiddle of Fuschia City!" The ref announced. "The battle will be a two on two Double Battle! The match will be over when time runs out, a Coordinator's points drop to zero, or at least one of either sides pokemon is unable to battle! Trainers, send out your pokemon!"

"Go!" Carmen yelled as she sent out her two pokemon.

"Kingler and Diglett!"

"Cookiekookie…" The Kingler bubbled at the mouth.

"Diglett!" The Diglett chirped.

"Go!" Aura answered in kind as she sent out her two pokemon.

"Koko and Fushi!"

"Drilllll…" Koko buzzed.

"Saurrrr…" Fushi bellowed.

"It looks like this match will be Carmen's Kingler and Diglett against Aura's Beedrill and Venusaur!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Coordinators, are you ready?" The ref asked.

"Ready!" Carmen said.

"I've been ready for this for a long time!" Aura said with a grin.

"Then Battle...Start!" The ref called out.

Carmen didn't waste any time in ordering her first move. "Diglett, use Sandstorm!" She yelled.

"Diglett!" instantly, Diglett had created a large sandstorm contained in the contest hall.

 _That's not good...I don't have a way to get rid of that weather…_

Aura thought as her points bar went down only slightly.

"Koko, use Swords Dance!" She called out. "Try to avoid the sandstorm's adverse effects as much as possible!"

"Drill!" Koko began to Swords Dance around the flowing sands, giving Carmen's point bar the same penalty, more or less.

"Now, Fushi!" Aura called out. "Use Frenzy Plant on the Kingler!"

"Venusaauuur!" Fushi yelled as he summoned large spiked roots out from the earth and shot them at Kingler.

"Kingler, Protect!" Carmen ordered.

"Ler." Kingler stated as it surrounded itself with its green forcefield, causing the plants to bounce off of it.

"Hah." Carmen said as Aura's points bar diminished even more. "Do you really think that I'd fall for something like that?"

"Absolutely not." Aura smirked.

"But while you were focused on protecting Kingler from Frenzy Plant…"

Aura tilted her head.

"Koko's been secretly Sword Dancing her way over to your Diglett!"

Carmen let out a gasp before Aura gave Koko her orders.

"Koko, now use Pin Missle!"

"Drill!" Koko hit the Diglett with her stingers three times over. "Drill! Beedrill!"

"Diglett…." The Diglett panted heavily as Carmen's points bar dropped dratically.

"Diglett!" Carmen called out. "Use Fissure!"

"Digggg!" The Diglett opened a huge fissure in the ground.

But the only that happened was nothing.

"Grr...Kingler, Guillotine!" She ordered.

Kingler tried to clamp Koko between its large claw, but again, nothing.

"Drill…" Koko almost laughed as Carmen's points continued to decline.

Kook was then hit by the raging sandstorm, and Aura's points continued to decline as well.

"One hit KO Moves?" Aura asked. "Really?"

"Fushi! Charge up that Solar Beam!" She chimed at Fushi.

"Saurrr…." Her Venusaur began charging up his Solar Beam attack.

"Diglett!" Carmen ordered.

"Use Dig!" Get out of there!"

"Diglett!" The Diglett did as its trainer commanded and disappeared to below the stage.

"And what about Kingler?" Aura asked.

"I don't need to worry about Kingler." Carmen said.

"Alright then, Fushi, Solar Beam!" Aura ordered.

"Kingler!" Carmen yelled, "Protect!"

Aura's points began to decline again at the large Solar Beam hit Kingler's green forcefield.

"Now Diglett, surprise that Venusaur!" Carmen ordered. "Use Dig!"

"Diglett!" The Diglett shot itself up through the ground into Fushi's front leg.

 _Oh no you don't!_

"Now Fushi!" Aura yelled. "Frenzy Plant!"

"Saur!" Fushi's Frenzy Plant ravaged Carmen's Diglett.

"Diggg…." The poor thing retreated through its tunnel, and came back up, clearly unable to battle anymore.

The sandstorm weather subsided.

*Beeeep*

"Diglett is unable to battle!" The ref declared. "Venusaur and Beedrill are the winners, which means victory goes to Aura, Fushi, and Koko! She will move onto the finals."

 _The finals….And if I win this one...I'll be all done getting ribbons… All that will be left to do is...challenge_ _ **her**_ _gym…_

"I'd say it was a good battle…" Carmen said as she walked up to Aura later. "Because you treated me as a serious opponent… But I think a Frenzy Plant against my already weakened Diglett might be taking things a little _too_ seriously."

"I...did that?" Aura asked, a little confused.

 _I didn't do that….Oh...now I see what happened…_

Aura put her hands on her stomach.

"I'm sorry." She bowed her head apologetically. "It won't happen again. I promise."

"You better hope not." Carmen said with a stern expression on her face.

She sighed. "Well, I better head back to the ship and prepare. I'm sure there's a whole plethora of things the department needs to sort out, and I really should be over there instead of here."

"And what an amazing display!" The announcer said, as Aura realized that she and Carmen had talked through all of Diane's and Monica's fight. "It appears that Diane Dorsey is our other finalist!"

 _I'm fighting Diane in the finals, huh?_ Aura thought to herself.

"That's interesting…" Carmen said. "You might not know this, because you've been off doing your own thing, but both you and Diane only need one more ribbon before you're at five."

Aura gulped.

 _So she needs it just as much as I do...and she's almost completely unpredictable in what she does since she just blurts out one powerful move after another…_

"Now, finalists...look at your theme for the final round of the final contest!" The announcer exclaimed.

Aura looked over at the monitor.

 _ **Being Sick On Your Birthday**_

Diane let out a huge gasp.

"What?" Aura asked, concerned.

"Huey's birthday!" She exclaimed. "We missed it! He was sick and we missed it!"

 _I missed Hue's birthday? But I wanted to…_

Aura thought back to what had happened on her birthday. She had wanted to give a similar day to Hue as a present when his birthday came around...and now she couldn't…

 _Great. Now I'm just angry..._

*Pallet Town*

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Protect, Rapid Spin, Water Pulse, Skull Bash

Venus(Victreebel): Leaf Blade, Stockpile, Swallow, Leaf Tornado

Vasquez(Rhyhorn*shiny): Horn Attack, Stomp, Bulldoze, Smack Down

Bruce(Hitmonlee): Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

Gumshoe(Growlithe); Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Betruger(Inkay): Constrict, Peck, Tackle, Reflect

"Hue!" Freddie gestured as he and Twilight entered the now clean and spotless room in the Inn, thanks to some help from Ethel and Davon.

"The hell are you two doing here?" Twilight asked them.

"Miss Ross has been looking after him." Davon answered. "I am but a humble visitor like yourselves."

"Twilight…" Hue said.

"I only came by because it's the polite thing to do." Twilight gave him a glare. "So don't think that we're friends just because-"

"But you were so excited!" Freddie exclaimed. "You were so happy that someone actually went as far out of their way as Hue, Aura, and Helen did to save us. You wanted to thank them all right away!"

"Shut up!" Twilight punched Freddie in the shoulder as her face went red.

"I thought we already were friends." Hue shrugged. "That's sort of why I helped."

"But don't I get on your nerves?" Twilight asked. "You certainly irk me all the damn time…"

"The whole thing about being friends…" Hue said. "Is that stuff like that ultimately won't matter. Sure, you bother the living crap out of me, but I don't dislike you. I have great appreciation for everyone in this room."

"So you see Miss Church?" Davon stood up. "We're all friends here."

Twilight gave a silent nod.

"Anyways, Twilight…" Hue continued with what he wanted to say. "Davon tells me that you were also part of the-mmmmmphh."

Davon's hand kept the words from coming out of Hue's mouth.

He looked Hue in the eyes.

"Sir Swanson. I appreciate your honesty, but the sad truth is that Twilight doesn't remember any of those events. It's called retrograde amnesia. Perhaps you're familiar with it?"

Hue understood.

He had blocked out most of the events too.

There was no need to subject Twilight to that kind of stress all over again.

"Oh, that's right!" Freddie remembered.

He took out a Fire Stone.

"Where's Aura? I need to give this to her."

"She's still on the cruise." Hue said. "She couldn't come back since she was a minor and unfit to take care of me. In fact, technically, it's Ethel's stepmom who should be here right now. But she's apparently busy with her gym."

"N-no she's not…" Twilight said, shaking her head.

Everyone looked towards her, confused.

"What do you mean she's not?" Ethel asked.

"Well, the gym was closed when we walked by." Freddie answered as he put the Fire Stone away. "I guess we'll just wait here for Aura to return."

"Hue!" The innkeeper called from downstairs. "There's a Justin Mercer here to see you!"

 _Him? I didn't think he liked me that much…_

"I'll come down to meet him!" Hue called back.

"You mean you can walk on your own?" Twilight asked.

"A little…" Hue said. "I still need some help to get up and out of bed and seats."

He turned to Ethel, his face red.

"On that note...do you think you could…"

"O-of course." Ethel slowly helped Hue up to his feet.

Once again, their faces were very close.

Hue could feel his heart beating a little faster.

 _I really need to talk to her about that, and I should sort it out sooner rather than later._

"S-sorry…" Ethel quickly backed up.

"Let's all head downstairs and meet Justin Mercer." Hue said.

Everyone followed him down the stairs, impressed by how well he handled himself.

"Hey kid." Justin said as he walked up to Hue, with dark red hair in a punk hairdo.

 _So it's red today…_

"Hey kid from the Viridian Gym." He nodded to Ethel.

He looked at Davon and Twilight. "Hey kids who look a little familiar."

He then turned to Freddie.

His eyes lit up.

"Freddie Franks! Oh my Arceus! Please teach me to cook the way you do!"

Freddie gave a nervous laugh. "I'd love to...but I can't. I've already promised to teach Twilight."

Freddie nodded in Twilight's direction. "She shows some real potential as a chef."

"So...Justin…" Hue said, a little uneasy.

"Why are you here?"

"To give you a birthday present." He said. "Not from me mind you. I don't know you that well enough, kid. This present is from Helen. She looked at your medical records after all, so she told me to deliver these to you."

 _These?_

Hue looked at the small box Justin was holding out to him.

He took it, and shook it near his ear.

Something inside rattled.

"Open it already!" He said, losing his patience a bit.

Hue opened the box.

Inside was a dark green headband with a large and colorful stone fitted on its center.

"The hell is this?" Hue asked as he held the headband up.

Ethel gasped.

"That stone...is it?"

"There's more than just the headband in there." Justin said, tapping his foot.

Hue looked through the box some more.

There was a pair of black frame glasses, just like his current ones, only they had what looked like a keystone on the left side of them.

Finally, there was a note.

 _Hello Hue,_

The note read.

 _I've sent Justin your way with this present! I hope it reaches you before I come back! Also, I'm coming back to talk with Professor Oak, so don't leave Pallet Town until I can meet up and help you get used to your new gift. What you have in that box is a new pair of glasses (your current ones are getting all smudged, so you should take careful care of these new ones. I know you like to tap the left side of your glasses when you feel like your confident in something so I put the keystone there. The stone contained in the headband is a rare stone known as Galladite. This is meant for you and Arthur. I don't know if you have him in your party right now, but promise me to not try out Mega Evolution until I'm back in pallet town. For the inexperienced...the consequences of learning to mega-evolve a pokemon by yourself can be disastrous._

 _Until then, have a speedy recovery, and tell Ethel I said 'Thank you'!_

 _Your new Mega-Evolution teacher,_

 _Helen Lang._

*Seven Island*

Aura's Current Team: Karakara(Cubone*shiny): Bonemerang, Fling, Perish Song, Earth Power

Koko(Beedrill): Swords Dance, Pin Missile, Poison Jab, Endeavor

Nazono(Bellossom): Petal Dance, Sunny Day, Sweet Scent, Grassy Terrain

Strike(Scyther): Swords Dance, Night Slash, X-Scissor, Razor Wind

Fushi(Venusaur): Growth, Synthesis, Solar Beam, Frenzy Plant

Huey(?): ?,?,?,?

AURA VS DIANE

"It looks like this match is going to be Aura's Scyther and Cubone VS Diane's Hitmonchan and Meditite!" The announcer exclaimed.

 _Meditite…_ Aura thought to herself. _That must be the pokemon that hatched from the egg that she was showing off back in Fuschia City…_

"Trainers, are you ready?" The ref asked.

"Ready!" Diane said.

"Ready!" Aura called out.

"Battle, Start!" Everyone yelled at the same time.

Aura was the first one to call out a move.

"Strike, use X-Scissor on the Meditite!" She yelled.

"Karakara, use Bonemerang on Chantra!"

"Scytherrr…" Strike went for Diane's Meditite with an X-Scissor.

"Dittie!" Diane called to her Meditite. "Use Detect!"

"Meditite!" Dittie quickly dodged the X-Scissor and Aura's point bar began to drop.

"Chantra, smack the Bonemerang away with a Mega Punch!"

"Hitmonchan!" Chantra smacked the Bonemerang away as Aura's points dropped even further.

"Strike!" Aura called out. "Use Night Slash to keep the Bonemerang in rotation!"

"Scyther!" Strike slashed the Bonemerang towards Dittie.

"Dittie!" Diane yelled, "Use Force Palm! Send it back to Karakara!"

"Medi-Tite!" Dittie yelped as it sent the Bonemerang back to Karakara.

"Karakara!" Aura called out. "Catch it, and then use Fling against Dittie and Strike, use Razor Wind!"

"Bone!" Karakara flung her bone at the Meditite.

"Detect!" Diane called out.

"Meditite…" Dittie elegantly dodged the bone.

"And Chantra, use Close Combat on Karakara!"

"Hitmonchan!" Chantra moved faster than Aura could react.

 _Sorry Karakara, I can't help you right now, but what I_ _ **can**_ _do…_

"Strike! Let the Razor Wind loose against that Meditite!" Aura yelled.

"Scyther!" Strike shot his razor wind straight towards Dittie.

"Use Detect-!" Diane tried to call out, but Dittie was too out of energy to use Detect twice in a row. The Razor Wind hit Dittie hard, just as the Close Combat hit Karakara hard, and both pokemon were smashed into each other.

They both fell to the ground.

"Dittie, get up!" Diane said.

"Karakara, you too!" Aura replied. "Come on! If you have any energy left, Earth Power!"

Both pokemon sprawled over, unable to battle any further.

"Both Karakara and Dittie are unable to battle." The ref called. "But since there is still time left, we will continue the contest as a single battle!"

"Chantra!" Diane called out. "Use Sky Uppercut on that Strike!"

Aura gritted her teeth.

She need to win this contest.

She _needed_ to win this contest…

 _I need to win this contest…_

 _I need to win this contest…_

"Strike!" She yelled "X-Scissor it!"

"What's that going to do?" Diane asked with a laugh.

"Near his crotch." Aura gave a wicked smile before Strike smacked Chantra with an X-Scissor right in Chantra's crotch.

The Hitmonchan doubled over in pain as both Diane's and Aura's points went down.

"Now, Night Slash." Aura said without mercy.

"Chantra is unable to battle!" The ref called out after Strike delivered the final blow.

"The winner is Scyther, which means victory goes to Aura and Strike!"

Aura's face dominated the monitor.

Along with her point bar below it.

She was only marginally above zero points.

Diane returned both her pokemon and looked at the monitor.

Her point bar was still relatively full.

"You two were great…" She said to her pokemon.

She looked at Aura, suspicious.

"That didn't feel like the other battles I've had with you." Diane said.

"Don't dwell on it too much." Aura snickered.

 _No, Didi, this isn't the me you know talking…_

"I just have a different battle style when it comes to contests."

 _No, Didi, I don't! See through me, please…._

"Oh, alright…" Diane shrugged. She gave a grin.

"The crotch thing was a low blow though. You know all Hitmonchan are males right? Life's already hard enough on the poor guy."

Aura laughed along with Diane. "He'll be fine, don't worry. Just give him a few hours."

 _It's me I need you to be worried about…_

As Aura walked back to the ship, from an evening hike in Sevault Canyon, her fifth and final ribbon in hand, she was relieved that she would finally be returning to Kanto's mainland. She wouldn't tell Hue about anything that had happened of course. That would, at best, get him way too worried, and at worst, get him way too angry.

Aura sighed as she looked at her pokemon, all inside their pokeballs/master ball/safari ball.

"You guys have all worked really hard on this cruise." She said. "You all deserve a nice long rest when we get back to the mainland. Then we can reunite with Huey, and hopefully finally figure out where Chandler is so we can-."

"So you can _**what**_?" A sinister, deep voice asked Aura from behind her.

Aura quickly turned around to see Chandler himself, standing there.

"H-" She reached for her Safari Ball.

"Ah-ah-ah…" Chandler shook his finger. "That's a big no-no."

Aura backed up into Mewtwo.

"Hmph." The pokemon humphed.

"What do you plan to do once you catch me, Miss Jones?" Chandler asked.

"How are you here?" Aura asked, scared out of her mind.

"Aura...I've always been here." Chandler smiled.

"Mewtwo, if you would."

"Hmph." The Mewtwo stuck its hand out towards Chandler, as he transformed.

"Now Miss Jones…" The captain of the cruise ship said. "I'll ask you again...what did you plan to do once you caught me?"

He transformed back into Chandler, the man cloaked in shadow, saved for the crazed ice-blue eyes.

"Were you going to kill me, Aura? Is that what you want?"

"That's _exactly_ what I want!" Aura screamed.

 _No, that's not what I want at all! I want you in prison sure, but I don't want-_

"Unfortunately for you…" Chandler said as Mewtwo forced Aura to the ground.

"As long as I have this gem of a pokemon in my possession, you can't lay a finger on me. But there is something you can do for me that will allow me to release not just Mewtwo, but the legendary birds as well. I'll be an easy target. One anybody can defeat."

"Why would you do something like that?" Aura asked, untrusting.

"Because you're going to complete my overall goal for me. Sure, we at NTR do a lot of strange things, but my end goal has always been the same."

He leaned in close to Aura.  
"And that's to kill the monster that ruined all our lives."

"Kill a monster?" Aura asked.

Chandler nodded. "Yes. A vile monster that deserves nothing but death. It took my daughter away from me, and is now masquerading around as though it _is_ her. You're going to kill it."

 _I'm not going to kill anything! I'm in enough trouble as it is!_

"After all…" Chandler smirked. "You wouldn't want the news about Five Island to reach the mainland would you? The grunt you let get away is already on a ship over there. I can keep him quiet...but only if I get your cooperation."

"Fine." Aura gave a wicked grin. "Who is it that I need to kill?"

 _No, I don't want this! I don't want to say that! I just want to close my eyes and wake up from what has to be a nightmare!_

Aura closed her eyes and opened them again.

This was certainly still a nightmare, just not a dream.

Chandler whispered the name of the person he wanted Aura to kill in her ear.

Aura's pupils shrank.

 _Kill her?_

 _I can't kill her._

 _I won't kill her._

 _I will not kill her._

 _I'll not kill her.._

 _I'll…_

 _Not…_

 _Kill…_

 _Her…_

"Consider it done." Aura said with look of crazed but pointed fury in her eyes. "She's as good as dead."

"Great." Chandler gave a smile the same way Aura gave them when someone had given her her way after initially refusing.

He transformed back into the captain with Mewtwo's help.

"Now come along Aura, the ship is leaving." He said, his voice cleverly disguised so that he sounded feminine.

As Aura lay down on the bed in her room, she curled up in a fetal position and tightly gripped her head.

She let out loud screams as severe and intense pains shot through her body.

She began to pant as she looked around the room.

She put a hand to her stomach.

It stung.


	67. Reunion Battle

Chapter 67:

Reunion Battle

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Protect, Rapid Spin, Water Pulse, Skull Bash

Venus(Victreebel): Leaf Blade, Stockpile, Swallow, Leaf Tornado

Vasquez(Rhyhorn*shiny): Horn Attack, Stomp, Bulldoze, Smack Down

Bruce(Hitmonlee): Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

Gumshoe(Growlithe); Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Betruger(Inkay): Constrict, Peck, Tackle, Reflect

*Riiing*

*Riiiiiinnnng*

*RIIIINNNNNGGGG*

"Hello?" Hue picked up his pokedex as he looked over at the nearby clock.

Yep, just as he thought...

3:30 AM…

"Hueeeeyyyyyy!" Diane's voice ran through the phone.

"I've been staying up for hours on end waiting to reach mainland Kanto's area of service. I'm operating on like, a single bar right now…"

"Didi...It's really early...can I please get some sleep? I've got Ethel coming over for breakfast today, and I don't want to fall asleep in the middle of it."

"All right, All right…" Diane conceded. "But I just wanted to let you know that Aura officially has five ribbons! So you better get on her level before she leaves you in the dust!"

"I only need one more…" Hue answered, still groggy. "I participated in a Pallet Town contest and won while I was here."

He turned in his covers.

"Speakin of, there are actually a lot of people here in town to see me. It started with just a few, like Freddie and Twilight, but it's been growing for a while...So I'm really looking forward to not having to deal with them when Ethel comes over for breakfast later."

"Alright. Shut up and let you sleep, I get it." Diane said. "But you better be nice and wide awake and ready to socialize by noon! Because don't you dare think that I'm letting you get away without a battle!"

"Alright, Didi…I'll see you later. Now let me sleep…"

"Good night Huey." Diane chuckled as she hung up.

 _Oh thank goodness that's over._

Hue turned in his covers again.

 _Now I need to get some sleep._

Ethel knocked twice on the door to the room.

Hue tiptoed around the table he had set up, all by himself, which was an accomplishment given the condition he was in not too long ago, and he opened the door.

Ethel's normally white top and skirt had been replaced by a slender white dress. The ribbons that were in her hair, on her earrings, and on her hands had all been completely removed.

In fact, Hue was almost certain that the onyx earrings were new, or at the very least, being worn to accompany her dress shoes, which were black rather than her normal red ones.

Hue thought two thoughts to himself as he let Ethel into the room.

 _She looks beautiful_

Was the first thought.

 _I'm glad I wasn't the only one who dressed up._

Was the second.

Hue himself had managed to find a nice blue and grey checkered button shirt that he wore over a plain white T shirt. He had also managed to break out his one pair of khaki pants, which needed to be held in place by a belt, because they had once belonged to his father and he couldn't quite fit into them yet. Finally, Hue had managed to buy a pair of mens' dress shoes from Davon, who was more than happy to part with a single pair that he 'rarely used in any case.'

"G-good morning." Ethel said nervously as she walked into the room.

Hue could feel the awkward nervousness in the air that blew in from the open window.

"G-good morning." Hue replied with just as much unease. "You look very pretty…" He managed to compliment her as he sat her down.

 _My voice cracked again, didn't it?_

"Y-you look nice too..." Ethel said in a quiet, what Hue assumed she meant to be bashful, tone.

It was hard to tell with her sometimes.

They ate in peaceful silence, save for the chirps of the pidgeys outside. When they happened to look at each other, a smile would appear on their faces.

The reason neither was talking was because neither knew what to say.

Hue was having particular trouble, wrestling with what had been bugging him since his birthday.

 _You have to talk to her about it today, Hue…_

He pumped himself up about it in his mind.

 _If you don't settle this now, it will only get more complicated when Diane and Aura arrive…_

"Hey, Ethel…" He finally said.

Ethel looked up at him. Her face lacked emotion, but Hue could see in the deepest parts of her eyes how nervous she was.

 _I don't blame you Ethel...I'm nervous about this too._

"About…" Hue began.

 _I'm so super stressed out right now, but I can't for the life of me make it seem that way. I need to power through this!_

 _Power through this!_

"About your birthday present to me."

Ethel's grip on her fork tightened.

"What about my birthday present to you?" She asked nervously.

Hue could tell she was nervous, because she quickly tied her long hair into a ponytail and began to stroke it and move it from shoulder to shoulder, careful not to get any of her hair on the table.

 _I need to find a way to calm her down. I just hope I don't say something stupid._

"Did you not like it?" She asked, even her monotone voice couldn't hide her fear of the answer.

"No, no no, I did! I loved it!" Hue quickly admitted to ease Ethel's obvious tension.

"I was just wondering." He said as he took a deep breath.

"If that might have been more than just a birthday present."

Ethel's expression might not have changed, but her face went red.

"What are you-?" She began.

 _Oh quick, don't let her cop out of this! This is an important talk that you're talking the time to have with her._

"Because if it was, that would make me really happy." Hue admitted.

Ethel seemed surprised. Her face was still red

"Are you saying that you…" She asked in her quiet monotone voice. "That you _like_ me?"

Hue nodded.

 _Welp, time to pull out all the stops..._

"Yes. Allow me to say it properly so there is no confusion. Ethel Ross, I like you, as more than a friend."

 _I can't believe I just said that. I really hope my voice wasn't cracking just now._

"But…" She began. "You and Aura are so…"

"We're very close yes…" Hue admitted. "And believe me, it took _a lot_ of thinking to sort out some things in my head, but you always make me feel at peace when you're around me, and I think you're a very nice girl."

 _It took me a really long time to sort everything out, but my overwhelming respect and admiration for you is something that hasn't changed or dwindled since I met you, and I can't say that about any other girl, neigh,_ _ **person**_ _, that I've met since I started my journey._

"T-thank you…" Ethel seemed incredibly nervous.

"I...I…" She raised a hand to her face, which was frozen in a smile, and lifted that same hand towards a watering eye.

"I….like you a more than a friend too…"

She looked out the window and towards Pallet Town.

"S-So…" Hue began.

"Does this mean...You're my...and I'm your...?"

Ethel nodded. "I'm not sure. I've never had one before, but I think it does."

She gave a sigh.

Now she looked sad.

 _No...sad isn't good...sad isn't good…_

She looked into Hue's eyes.

"But we should wait until after this whole incident with the Subjects and Chandler finally comes to a close before we actually do couple stuff. I feel like it'll be safer for everyone that way…"

Hue detected a tone of uncertainty in Ethel's voice.

"You don't sound too sure about that…" He said.

"I'm just….concerned…" She answered. "I know that Chandler's been targeting my father for a while, and I'm confident that given the opportunity, Chandler will completely destroy him...after that...I fear that I'll be his next victim."

"Hey, don't say that…" Hue tried to cheer Ethel up. "I'll make sure nothing happens to you, alright? You said yourself that a Gallade like Arthur is the perfect pokemon to help me protect the people I care about."

"Against a legendary bird?" Ethel asked, skeptically. "Against Mewtwo?"

Hue nodded, unwavering.

The same way he never wanted to see Aura making that awful crazed face, he never wanted to see Ethel this visibly worried.

 _For someone with barely any expressions, to see her this worried is extremely unnerving._

"Helen's going to teach me about Mega-Evolution." Hue said. "Arthur will be strong enough then. I know he will be, and now that we're an item, I'm even less willing to let you worry yourself about this. Just whisper my name into your pokedex if I'm far away, and I'll instantly come to help you out, alright?"

Ethel gave a single, small laugh.

She leaned her head against him as she looked out the window again.

"Now that we're girlfriend/boyfriend, you'll hold me while we look out at the sky if I ask, right?"

"O-of course…" Hue said as he put his arm around Ethel and brought her in closer.

He could still feel his heart beating faster than normal, but he felt oddly calm about everything now.

Just getting it off his chest was relief enough.

"You know that Aura isn't going to be happy about this…" Ethel said. "It's pretty clear to see that I'm not her favorite person in the world."

"I know…" Hue agreed. "But she'll be even less happy if we keep it from her."

"Closer…" Ethel said.

"Hm?"

"Hold me closer…"

Hue did as he was told, and felt Ethel start to cry.

She did so silently for the most part, and Hue didn't know whether they were tears of joy, sorrow, or fear, or something else entirely.

At moment some sort of instinctual response kicked in.

Just like it had when he was holding Aura on Cinnabar.

He began to kiss the top of Ethel's head.

She was taller than Aura, so it was a little easier to reach.

"Huey…" Ethel said as she looked up at him, and began to lean in closer.

"If you're going to kiss me...at least let me kiss you back."

Hue met Ethel's lips halfway with his own, and time stopped.

At least, that's what it felt like.

Everything was so peaceful in that room at that moment.

Like all their problems were waiting patiently outside the Inn for them to finish.

Once again, it was a calming peace that Hue felt.

He liked this feeling of serenity.

 _I wouldn't mind staying like this forever…_ He thought to himself.

His thoughts were, unfortunately, interrupted by a low whistle, followed by a

"Damn, dude! Way to go!"

Ethel and Hue quickly pulled away from each other and looked out the window.

Donovan was standing there.

"Donovan Key!" Hue began to scold his friend who he hadn't seen in so long. "Learn to-"

"Learn to read the motherfucking mood!" Ethel cursed at Donovan.

Hue couldn't help but laugh.

 _Even with that crass language, Ethel's really adorable when she's angry._

"What are you doing here in Pallet Town?" Hue asked Donovan as they walked down to the Inn's recreation room, where a whole plethora of trainers that he knew had gathered.

There was of course, Justin, Twilight, Freddie, and Davon,

But Morren, Lindsey, and Sierra, had all shown up to see how their friend and winner of the Pallet Town contest was doing.

And for some reason, people Hue either didn't know very well, or didn't even like were showing up.

Craig Woods, Allan Cleveland, Omar Murray, Terrence Lovelace

Even Victor Grail was here.

"So, Freddie's finally realized he needs extra help in the kitchen if he wants to make better food than me, eh?" Lindsey asked Twilight while Freddie and Morren fondly remembered the time Hue accidentally made them go into Cerulean Cape together.

Victor and Justin were having some sort of ego contest.

Terrence was alone in the corner, reading a mystery adventure novel about a trainer whose journey ends up intertwined with an unraveling of his traumatic past.

Craig, Allan, Sierra, and Omar were all playing a game of Big Three with some playing cards.

Ethel was talking to Davon about coordinator strategies that she had used to win contests.

"Why do you think everyone else is here?" Donovan answered. "Hue, your condition is all over the freaking news! Helen and Regalia are both running around all over the place just to keep the press away from you so you can recover!"

"I can't imagine most of these people are worried about me…" Hue said.

Donovan shrugged. "I'm sure some are more eager to prove that they know you personally than you know...actually make sure you're okay."

He paused.

"By the way... _are_ you actually okay?"

"I'm feeling great right now." Hue answered honestly. "The Professor gave me a really helpful medicine that's like, Secret Potion-esque in how well it works."

*Ring-a-ring-a-ring-a-ring-a-ring…*

"Is that Pallet Town's Town theme?" Donovan asked as Hue picked up his pokedex.

"Of course it is." Hue replied. "It's Aura's ringtone on my pokedex."

He picked it up.

"Hello?" Hue asked.

"Huey!" Aura exclaimed, rather loudly. "Look outside the Inn already, Arceus…"

Hue looked outside.

Aura was standing right next to Diane.

They were waving through the window.

"Hey, Donovan…" Hue motioned to the window.

Donovan turned around.

"Ahahaha!" He laughed.

"I'll meet you guys outside soon." Hue told Aura through the pokedex. "Just let me change into my comfy clothes."

"What, were you on a date?" Aura asked, clearly sarcastic, because the two could see each other through the window, and Hue knew when Aura was being sarcastic.

"Yes actually…" Hue replied. "I know this may not be easy for you to hear, but it was with Ethel."

Aura gave Hue a very, very angry glare.

"Oh really?" She asked, her eyes so piercing that Hue worried they might shatter the window that gave Hue what little protection he had.

It looked like she wanted to pound Hue's face in, but she eventually gave a sigh.

"I suppose this is what I deserve for not being stubborn enough to head back to Kanto with you." She said. "But I'm not worried. Things happen everyday. What you thought was true one day, might not be true the next and so on. Perhaps one day you won't be as impossibly oblivious as you are now. I could've handled this better if you said someone like Lindsey or Twilight was your new girlfriend, but you just _had_ to choose her of all people."

"It isn't a _choice_ …" Hue said. "I can't help it."

"You do realize of course, that I'm angry and that if you don't come outside, that my glare will indeed shatter the window you're hiding behind. Bring your new girlfriend too. I want to _congratulate_ her."

 _Well, this could have gone better, but It could also have gone a lot worse…_

The park where everyone stopped to eat lunch was nice and pleasant, and right next to the Inn.

"This place is bringing back so many memories." Diane said as she, Donovan, Aura, Ethel, and Hue all sat on a large picnic blanket.

Hue looked inside the Inn.

Karen, Cherry, Carmen, and Monica had all entered, and were now talking to Davon, Victor, Justin, and Terrence respectively.

 _This is just too much….It's like this gathering isn't even about how I'm doing anymore…_

"I'll say…" Hue agreed.

"This is the town where we all started our journeys…"

"Which brings me to my absolutely brilliant idea!" Diane grinned.

"Let's have a battle! Right here in this park!"

"Umm…" Donovan began. "That sounds great except for the fact that there are five of us…"

"That's perfectly okay…" Aura glared at Ethel.

"Ethel can ref for us, can't she? After all this is Huey and his travel partner against his two best friends... _right_ Ethel?"

 _She seems mad, but she's actually calling Ethel by her name, which is much more respectful than Miss Monotone...Something just seems off about her reaction to all of this…_

"I don't mind refereeing a battle between the four of you." Ethel nodded.

"It can be a Tag-Team Battle, where each trainer uses two pokemon. I'll even give you guys an hour to head over to the lab and shift your team around if you want to before battling."

"Practically all of my pokemon need a break from battling." Aura said to Hue. "So let's head over to Oak's lab, 'kay?"

"Actually, I already have the two pokemon I want to use on me...so I-"

"Lab." Aura grabbed him by his jacket and began to drag him towards the lab.

Diane looked up at Ethel.

"Hey good job buddy! I know you've had your eye on him for a while!"

"Shush!" Ethel exclaimed nervously turning red.

She looked on as Aura dragged a reluctant Hue towards professor Oak's lab.

"Is that really-?" She mumbled to herself.

"Hm?" Diane asked.

Ethel shook her head. "Nevermind. Come on, help me clear a space for a battle to take place."

DIANE AND HUE VS DONOVAN AND AURA

"Wait a second, wait a second, wait a second…" Aura began. "Huey, this was supposed to be our reunion battle against your buddies that didn't want to travel with you!"

"But I _always_ battle Diane and Donovan…" Hue complained. "That's why we drew from a hat this time."

"Yeah…" Aura pointed at Ethel. " _She_ drew from the hat…"

"Do you honestly think that I'm so petty I'd rig the draw?" Ethel asked as she crossed her arms.

"Because you seem to have no problem with my refereeing the match."

"Well, now I have a _big_ problem with it! She's _your_ travel partner." Aura pointed at Diane before shifting her finger back to Hue. "And _your_ girlfriend!"

"And you two know each other from before you even started your journeys…" Donovan said to Aura.

Aura huffed.

"Aura, you've reffed fair battles between me and _both_ Diane and Donovan before." Hue reasoned. "What makes you think Ethel won't be fair?"

Aura bit her thumb at looked away.

"Nevermind." She said. "She can ref the match if she wants."

"I'd prefer to battle…" Ethel said, glaring at Aura "But I don't mind refereeing a match between four _friends_."

"Oooh-hoo-hoo…" Diane said as she looked at Hue with a grin on her face.

Hue shook his head at her.

She gulped.

"Sorry. I'll focus."

"I'll explain it once again." Ethel said. "This will be a 4 on 4 Tag Team Battle! Each trainer will select two pokemon to participate, and the battle will be conducted in Double Battle style format. The match will be over when all of either sides pokemon are no longer able to continue battling. Trainers, send out your first pokemon!"

"Go!" Hue called out. "Bruce!"

"Hitmonlee!" Bruce chanted as he landed in a battle ready stance.

"Go!" Diane cheered. "Chusie!"

"Raiiiichu!" Her Raichu cheered as she landed next to Bruce.

"Chu…" Chusie looked up at Bruce and nodded.

"Lee…" Bruce nodded back.

"Go!" Donovan called out. "Dosey!"

"Dodriooo!" Dosey cawed as Hue realized that the Doduo Donovan owned had evolved into a Dodrio.

He lifted up his pokedex.

"[Dodrio]" Dean stated in his male robotic voice. "The [Triple Bird] Pokemon. A three-headed bird pokemon that runs faster than it can fly. Its three heads represent joy, sorrow, and anger."

"If that's true…" Hue looked at Dosey.

"Then her middle head is definitely joy...her left head is sorrow, and her right head is anger…"

He looked back at Dean. "How fast does it run?"

"In a prairie setting, a Dodrio can reach up to nearly 40mph."

While Hue continued looking at Dean for knowledge on Dodrio, Aura sent out her choice pokemon.

"Go!" She called out. "Purin!"

"Wigglytuff!" Purin boasted as he was sent out for the first time in, like, forever.

"Trainers, are you ready?" Ethel asked.

Hue put Dean away.  
"Ready!" He announced.

"Ready!" Diane echoed.

"Ready!" Aura said, eager to start the battle.

"Ready!" Donovan exclaimed.

"Battle...Start!" Everyone said.

"Dosey!" Donovan called out right away. "Use Tri Attack on Bruce!"

"Bruce!" Hue yelled out. "Rolling Kick to dodge it!"

"Driooo!" Dosey let loose a conglomerate of fire ice and lightning circling around each other, heading directly towards Bruce, who nimbly rolled under it, before trying to land a Rolling Kick on Dosey, who easily jumped over the kick.

"Purin!" Aura yelled. "Body Slam on Chusie!"

"Wiggly!" Purin inflated himself as he jumped down towards Chusie.

"Chusie!" Diane called out. "Use Quick Attack to dodge it!"

"Raichu!" Chusie rocketed herself past the inflated Purin.

While she was in the sky, Hue noticed her tail discharging excess electricity.

 _That's right!_

"Didi…" He whispered.

Diane looked at him, and almost instantly caught on to what he was thinking,

The two siblings nodded at each other.

"Chusie!" Diane called out. "Jump onto Bruce!"

"Bruce!" Hue yelled. "Use High Jump Kick on Purin!"

"Hitmon-lee!" Bruce jumped up into the air as Chusie rode on top of his head.

"Now, Chusie!" Diane yelled. "Jump up off his head, and use Shock Wave on Dosey!"

"Raiiii!" Chusie yelled as she discharged one of the biggest Shock Waves Hue had even seen.

"Dosey!" Donovan called out as his Doduo was hit with the homing missile of electric attacks.

"Dosey is unable to battle!" Ethel announced as Dosey slumped to the ground unable to even move anymore.

"Rai…" Chusie cringed as she landed on the ground.

 _Yeah...that excess electricity is usually released into the ground to keep a Raichu from shocking itself..._

"Purin!" Aura yelled as Bruce descended down towards thee Wigglytuff. "Meet Bruce with a Play Rough attack!"

"Wigglytuff!" Purin sneered at Bruce as he jumped up towards the High Jump Kick.

The two pokemon collided in the air, and after a huge blow to his stomach, Purin began to lay the smack down on Bruce.

"Bruce!" Hue called out as the two pokemon fell back down to the ground, and Bruce struggled to get up to face the panting Purin.

"Purin!" Aura called out. "Let's finish him off with a Double-Edge!"

"Tuff…" Purin gave a grin as he charged down Bruce.

"Bruce, get out of there!" Hue called out just a moment too late.

"Bruce is unable to battle!" Ethel announced as the Hitmonlee lay on the ground, unconscious.

Hue and Donovan both returned their pokemon.

"Go!" Donovan and Hue both called out at the same time.

"Venus!" Hue called out.

"Victreeeeeee!" Venus screeched, ready and eager to fight.

"Goldy!" Donovan announced.

"Golduck!" The Golduck chirped as it looked on at its opponents.

"Purin!" Aura called out. "Use Dazzling Gleam!"

"Wiggly...tuffff!" Purin shone brighter than the sun, blinding both Chusie and Venus.

"Venus!" Hue called out. "Hit Purin with a-!"

"Belllll!" Venus called out before Hue even said what move he wanted her to use.

Instantly, a large blob of sludge shot out of her mouth and descended onto Purin.

"Purin is unable to battle." Ethel called out as Purin fell to the ground in as fetal a position as something as tubby as a Wigglytuff could get.

Aura gave a disgruntled sigh as she returned Purin.

"What the actual heck was that move?" Hue wondered aloud as he looked to Dean for advice.

"[Sludge Bomb]." Dean stated. "A [Poison] Type move. Unsanitary sludge is hurled at the target, this may also poison the target."

"Is that why you did that?" Hue asked Venus. "You wanted to show me the new move you learned?"

"Victreebel!" Venus gave what little a salute she could with her leaves. She seemed proud of herself.

"Goldy!" Donovan called out. "Now's your chance! Use Hydro Pump on Chusie!"

"Gol-ol-ol-ol-ol-ol" Goldy shot a blast of incredibly concentrated water at Chusie, who was still feeling the damaging effects of Dazzling Gleam.

"Chusie is unable to battle!" Ethel announced as Chusie fell to the ground.

"We are down to each trainer's last remaining pokemon!"

"Go!" Diane called out. "Dittie!"

"Meditite!" Diane's Meditite announced as it was sent out.

"Sirius! You're up!" Aura called as she sent out her Umbreon.

Hue held up Dean to Dittie.

"Is that the pokemon that hatched from the egg you were showing off in Fuschia?" He asked.

"That's right!" Diane smiled.

"Dittie's a little powerhouse isn't she?" She talked to Dittie like she was some sort of pet.

"[Meditite]." Dean informed Hue. "The [Meditate] Pokemon. Meditite uses meditation in order to build up its mental energy and to increase its power, never skipping a single day of yoga training. It is said that it only eats one berry a day."

 _Sounds like it has some form of psychic attack style, so I should probably focus on doing damage to Sirius._

"Alright Venus, start things up with a Stockpile!"

"Belll…" Venus began to concentrate and charge up its power.

"Goldy!" Donovan called out, taking advantage of Venus's inactivity. "Use Aqua Jet on Dittie!"

"Sirius!" Aura quickly ordered. "Use Taunt on Dittie as well!"

"Umbreon!" Sirius started to get up in Dittie's face.

"Dittie!' Diane called out. "Use Detect-"

But Dittie didn't listen. She was too enraged by Sirius to listen.

The Aqua Jet hit her full force, and she quickly fell to the ground.

"Only after that one hit?" Hue asked.

"She's still young!" Diane replied. "I didn't expect a Taunt attack, okay?"

 _Aura does seem a little more...aggressive...than her usual battle style. She'd normally be trying to find a way to make sure her pokemon_ _ **wouldn't**_ _get hit…_

"Dittie is unable to battle!" Ethel announced.

Hue looked at Venus.

 _One Victreebel with a chip on its shoulder against a Golduck and an Umbreon...Let's do this._

"Goldy!" Donovan yelled.

"Hit it with a Zen Headbutt!"

"Helping Hand, Sirius!" Aura called out.

"Umbreon…" Sirius began to cheer for the Golduck as Goldy rocketed towards Venus.

"Venus, counter it with a Leaf Blade!" Hue ordered.

"Victree…." Venus's leaf-arm began to extend into something much like a sword and give off a bright green glow.

"Bel!" She shrieked as she swung the leaf down onto Goldy's head as the two pokemon collided with each other.

Hue could hear the sound of Venus landing a critical hit.

 _We're sorry about that Goldy. But we aren't letting a Zen Headbutt hit us..._

"Golduck is unable to battle!" Ethel called out as Goldy fell to the ground unable to get back up.

"Sirius!" Aura called out. "Use Feint Attack!"

"Venus!" Hue called out. "Use Stockpile again!"

"Bellll…" Venus braced herself as Sirius slammed into her, before jumping back to Aura.

Aura gave a smirk.

"You think you're going to win that way?" She asked with a smirk.

"Sirius!" She called out. "Use Guard Swap!"

"Now!" Hue quickly yelled. "Venus, use Swallow!"

"Victreebel…" Venus took a huge gulp of air and swallowed it as the bruise on her leaf from hitting Goldy, and the wound on her stomach from Sirius's Feint Attack began to disappear, right before Sirius began to send out a mysterious force towards Venus.

"No!" Aura exclaimed, legitimately shocked evident by the way she began to curse under her breath.

 _Thanks for the free bulky defense and special defense, Aura…_ Hue thought to himself.

 _Still though, I didn't expect you to fall for that…_

"Venus!" Hue called out. "Use Sludge Bomb!"

"Victree….bel!" Venus belched up a large ball of sludge that she shot at Sirius.

"Sirius!" Aura called out. "Use Guard Swap again!"

"Breonnnn…" Sirius used another Guard Swap before he was hit by Venus's Sludge Bomb.

He cringed as he crouched down.

 _Poison damage…_ Hue noticed a small area on Sirius's back left leg that looked like it could be where the poison damage was coming from.

 _I'm glad Venus is a poison type and we don't have to worry about Synchronize…_

"Sirius…" Aura yelled out at the top of her lungs. "Ram into it again!"

"Venus!" Hue called out. "Leaf Blade!"

Sirius rammed into Venus...but that certainly wasn't a Feint Attack like before…

Venus lay unconscious on the ground.

Hue looked for the move in his pokedex.

"[Giga Impact]." Dean read off to him. "A [Normal] Type move. The user charges at the target with every bit of its power. The user can't move for a while afterwards."

"Venus is unable to battle-" Ethel began to call the verdict.

"Yes! Ha!" Aura laughed. "I _Win_!"

 _I really think you're taking this a little too far Aura…_

"Umbreon…." Sirius slumped to the ground, having gone unconscious from the poison damage.

"Both Venus and Sirius are unable to battle…" Ethel announced. "This match is a draw."

"What the hell, Aura?" Hue asked, rather angry as he returned Venus to her pokeball. "You have every right to be angry with me, and with Ethel, but you don't have to be so immature about it! Look at your poor Umbreon! You could have actually won the battle if you had just returned him instead of gloating about how you won!"

Aura seemed almost visibly afraid of Hue as she backed up.

"Oh...I...I see what happened here…" She mumbled while she looked around as she quickly returned Sirius.

"What?" Hue asked as he tilted his head confused,

He reached his hand out for Aura's forehead. "Aura, are you okay?"

"Don't touch there!" Aura replied hastily as she swatted Hue's hand away.

Everyone looked at her.

"I...I really am sorry for how I acted…" Aura finally apologized. "To all four of you, I'm sorry. If it's all the same with you...I think I'd like to go for a little walk by myself, if that's alright…"

"S-sure…" Hue eased off.

Not long after Aura left, and Diane and Donovan returned to the Inn, leaving Hue and Ethel alone, the two of them heard the agonizing scream of pain.

Hue figured that if he was a Growlithe or other type of canine pokemon, this would be when his ears would perk up.

 _I recognize that noise…I recognize that noise really well..._

 _That's the same type of scream that…_

Hue quickly looked down at his stomach, and then out towards where the scream had come from.

 _That was the direction that Aura had gone..._

Something clicked in his head.

 _No way…._

 _No way!..._

"Ethel…" Hue said. "You know Aura from before all this happened, right?"

"Y-yeah…" Ethel replied. "Why do you ask?"

"So...you know what her real name is."

Ethel stayed silent, but gave a nod.

"If I whisper her real name, her _full_ real name to you, would you let me know that I was right?"

"I guess so." Ethel said. "If only because you'd have already figured it out anyway. But you have to promise that knowing won't change the way you act around either of us."

"Don't worry." Hue smiled. "I've been having Helen drill her philosophy of living for the future into my head for the past week, so nothing from the past will have any standing on my opinions of either of you."

Ethel nodded. "In that case, go ahead...submit your answer."

 _What is this, some kind of exam?_

Hue whispered the name into Ethel's ear.

A wave of relief washed over her face.

"Took you long enough." She joked.


	68. The Great Gathering

Chapter 68:

The Great Gathering

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Protect, Rapid Spin, Water Pulse, Skull Bash

Vasquez(Rhyhorn*shiny): Horn Attack, Stomp, Bulldoze, Smack Down

Espella(Espeon): Morning Sun, Swift, Psybeam, Future Sight

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Fury Cutter

Gumshoe(Growlithe); Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

Helen Lang, upon her return, noticing the Inn was full of trainers who had wanted to see Hue, invited everyone residing at the Inn to come to Professor Oak's lab with her, since it was there that she planned to give him his first lesson about Mega Evolution.

When they all got to the lab however, Professor Oak was under the impression that this was some sort of birthday party for someone, and had set out a marvelous banquet table outside filled with all kinds of delicacies, while he had everyone's pokemon... _all_ of _everyone's_ pokemon, running around freely outside.

"This is...a lot of people, and a whole lot more pokemon…" Hue said, a little overwhelmed by how many faces there were.

"I'm sorry." Helen said. "I didn't mean for so many people to come…"

"G'lade…" Arthur said as he finished putting his headband on.

"It looks like he's done." Hue observed. "Let's make sure we're not too close to anyone while we practice."

"Good idea." Helen agreed as she began to scout out for an open space. "You wait around here. I'll come back when I find a good spot."

Hue nodded.

No sooner had Helen left than Hue was quickly taken by the wrist.

"Gah!" He turned to see who was dragging him.

"Didi, what is it?"

"It's picture time, Huey!" She said. "Don't you want to take a picture with Donnie and me? It'll be us and our starter pokemon."

 _As long as it doesn't take forever in a day, then sure. I don't see why not._

Hue, Donovan, and Diane grouped together with Douglas the Blastoise, Bud the Venusaur, and Charolette the Charizard.

On the far left of the photographs once they developed, Donovan was sitting on top of Bud's large flower, in a crossed legs position. In the center, Diane and Charolette were standing back to back, with Charolette's large burning tail pointing away from the camera so that no one would get burned. Both of them had their arms crossed and confident and cheerful grins on their faces. Finally, on the far right was Hue, who was standing, and looking at the camera without posing in a silly manner, Instead, Hue simply had his hand gently placed on Douglas's side, while Douglas also looked straight towards the camera.

"Hue!" Helen called as the three friends looked at the instant photos that had appeared.

"I've found a spot! Stop goofing off and get over here!"

 _It was just a picture...geez…_

Helen led Hue to a nice and secluded area on Lab property.

"Alright, are you ready?" She asked.

Hue and Arthur both nodded.

Helen sent out her Kangaskhan, and reached for the keystone on her belt.

"Now watch carefully." She said.

She placed a finger on her keystone. "You need to touch the keystone to cause your pokemon to Mega-Evolve." She said. "Similarly, your pokemon needs to be touching the stone that actually causes their Mega Evolution to occur in the first place. If you look closely, you'll see that the small baby Kangaskhan inside the parent's pouch is in fact holding a Kangaskhanite stone."

Hue squinted his eyes as and managed to see the small baby Kangaskhan holding the stone as both it and Helen's keystone started to glow, and her Kangaskhan started to Mega Evolve.

"Now, it's going to feel weird at first…" Helen said. "By doing this, you'll achieve a level of connection with your pokemon that many many trainers never experience in their lifetime. You'll effectively be sharing a mind."

"I understand…" Hue nodded.

Arthur nodded with him.

"I'm glad you do." Helen replied.

"Helen!" Carmen called out. "Hey, how about a picture with Justin and Me? For ol' times sake?"

"I'm a little busy!" Helen called out.

"No, no go." Hue said to her. "Don't worry. Arthur and I can wait."

Helen sighed. "Alright then. But don't try to Mega Evolve until I get back. I'm worried that you still might experience some difficulties."

"Alright…" Hue obeyed. _Jeez, it's like you really are my mom…_

As Helen left to go take her picture with Carmen and Justin, Hue noticed Aura hiding in the corner.

"You can come out you know…" He said.

She looked worried, as though she might be found out of some terrible crime.

 _I'm sure whatever you think you did Aura, it isn't as bad as you think it is…_

"Huey?" She asked nervously. "Can I ask you a hypothetical question?"

 _A hypothetical question?_

"Sure…" Hue said, warily.

Aura took a deep breath.

"If someone you knew….someone you knew for practically your whole life… someone you would do nearly anything for…."

Hue thought of both his sisters almost instantly.

"Yeah?" Hue asked. He urged Aura to keep going.

"If the only possible way to save the world was to kill them, and you had to do it, would you?"

 _I no longer like this question…._

"Would I rather save the life of someone I've known and loved forever, or save the rest to the entire world?" Hue asked. "In what scenario would I even be faced with a situation like that?"

"And what if that person?" Aura continued to ask ignoring Hue's question. "What if that person that you've known for so long is intimately involved with your best friend?"

 _Are Diane and Donovan dating? Or is Aura fantasising about something like that too?_

"S-..." Hue stopped himself.

 _She might not even remember that name...That's what Junzo's letter in the bottle to me said._

"Aura, I have no idea what you're talking about." Hue replied. "But if I guess, I'd feel really conflicted if I was given a choice like that. Especially knowing that if I saved the world and let the loved one die, that my friend would be heartbroken and would most likely figure out that I did it."

"Do you think your friend would forgive you for doing it?" Aura asked.

Hue thought about it.

"No...No I don't think they would. They might learn to cope with it, and they might still treat me as a friend, but putting myself in their shoes, I don't think I'd ever full on forgive anyone for killing another person unless they gave me a good reason to, like justified self defense, or maybe they were being blackmailed. In the situation you pointed out to me, if I was in the best friend position, and it was my best friend who made the decision to save the world instead of, say, Ethel, I would be very upset with them. I would of course understand why they did it, and I wouldn't argue with what they thought, but I would be absolutely furious for a very long time, and if I calmed down, I still wouldn't treat them the same as before. Even if I knew how hard the decision was for them, I just wouldn't be able to act like nothing happened….Because things do happen. And the past, no matter how painful, can never be erased."

Aura looked at Hue.

It seems like whatever she was afraid of, her fears had come true. Her face was drained of all color. Her normally piercing eyes were now shaking with a tone of fear.

She looked like she was getting sick.

"Aura, are you okay?" Hue asked, concerned. "You look sick…"

"I'm fine…." Aura said as she quickly stood up, not fine at all. "I'm just gonna go and spend some time with my pokemon…"

Hue sighed after he was sure that Aura had left.

"Rule one." Helen said as she hit Hue on the head with a rolled up photo of herself, Justin, and Carmen, with Helen's Kangaskhan, Carmen's Pidgeot, and Justin and a Pinsir.

"'Hypothetical' never actually means that."

She took her place a few yards away from Hue.

"Now, you ready to try to Mega Evolve Arthur?"

"You bet I am!" Hue jumped up excitedly as he and Arthur looked at each other and nodded with grins.

Hue tapped the keystone on the left side of his new glasses.

He noticed Arthur's stone start to glow, and then Arthur started to glow, and change shape ever so slightly…

*Booom*

A small explosion occurred, with Hue's keystone as the focal point.

"Aggh!" Hue began to roll around on the ground in pain.

"OhmyArceus….that fucking _hurt_!"

He stopped rolling momentarily to yell at Helen.

"You didn't tell me that if I messed up it would _hurt me like this!_ "

"I said it was dangerous!" Helen defended herself.

"Still though…" She stroked her chin. "Normally, the one most in danger of physical pain is the pokemon for not trusting the trainer enough. The whole process seemed to be working fine. I don't know what could have caused this to happen…"

"Huhhh…" Hue continued to roll around in pain.

"G'lade…" Arthur tapped Helen on the shoulder.

She turned around as he handed her a note.

"What's this?" She asked as she took the piece of paper. "Is this for m-huuuuuuhhhhhhhh!"  
She gave an expressive gasp.

"Junny wrote this?" She asked in disbelief.

Arthur nodded. "G'lade…" He said with a shrug.

Helen skimmed through the letter addressed to Hue before she arrived at what she was looking for. The passage Arthur was trying to show her.

 _A pokemon and its human trainer, holding a mega stone of that pokemon's species and a keystone respectively._

"So that's it…" Helen said. "I see the problem here…"

"Huh?" Hue asked as he sat up, the pain from the small explosion subsiding.

"The problem…" Helen informed him. "Is that you have too much pokemon DNA inside you."

Hue punched the ground.

"Of course it comes back to me having a pokemon inside of me…" He lamented.

"Now...Now I'm confused." Helen said. "You have pokemon DNA inside you sure, but what makes you so sure that you have a complete pokemon inside you?"

"Because, when he would talk to me…" Hue said. "Not that he has since I started using that meteorite cream stuff the professor gave me, but when he _did_ talk to me, he was constantly reminding me that he was my pokemon, just like any of my other ones."

"He...he hasn't ever fought with you?" Helen asked, confused. "He hasn't fought with you for control of your body? Junzo was constantly at odds with the pokemon DNA inside him. The personalities of the pokemon manifest themselves and they attempt to take control of the subjects bodies...That's been the same across the board for all four of them...except you… and if you were the one given the extra DNA, then shouldn't you be _more_ at risk?"

"I don't know…" Hue answered honestly.

"For all I know, having _more_ DNA means that I'm _less_ at risk of being taken over. I've been able to have conversations with Deus all the time too so-..."

Helen was eyeing Hue with suspicion.

"Huey?" Ethel asked as she walked up to where Hue and Helen were.

Hue looked over and Professor Oak standing with her.

"I know you're busy learning to Mega-Evolve…" Professor Oak said. "But if you and Arthur could just pose with Ethel and her Gardevoir for just one picture…?"

"Oh, uh, sure…" Hue said getting red as he got up off the ground.

"There's no real need to come back afterwards though…" Helen said as she gathered her stuff up.

"If you can't Mega-Evolve Gallade because of the pokemon inside you, you'll need to find a way to get it out before I can give you any actual lessons."

"Is that true?" Ethel asked in her monotone voice while she and Hue posed for a picture with Gardevoir and Arthur. The two human trainers were in the foreground of the picture, while Gardevoir and Arthur were in the back. When the instant photo was developed, they looked almost like some sort of royal family.

The obvious giveaway that they weren't however, was that Ethel had forgone the whole 'nobility' feeling that Professor Oak was going for in favor of giving a peace sign to the camera, even though the rest of her was emotionless and stoic.

"Yeah...It's true." Hue replied. "Deus's presence in my body means that I can't Mega-Evolve Arthur. Only a human can Mega Evolve a pokemon, and as it stands, I am not fully a human…"

"Yes you are." Ethel disagreed, still in her monotone voice. "You just have a pokemon living inside of you."

"I have a question by the way…" Hue said as the two of them looked at the photos they had just posed for. "Helen said that across the board, the subjects all fought with personalities manifested by the pokemon DNA for control of their bodies…"

"And you're wondering about how _she_ fared?" Ethel asked.

Hue nodded.

"Aren't we all?" Ethel answered.

 _Something she doesn't know?_

"So it's possible that it could still be going on?" Hue asked.

Ethel nodded.

"The possibility does exist." She agreed.

"Excuse me…" Aura said as she approached, clearly not aware of the importance of the conversation being held.

"Huey, come on. Travel partner picture time!"

Hue sighed.

 _So many pictures…_

When the picture of Hue and Aura and one pokemon chosen by each of them came out, Hue looked over his copy of it.

Aura was grinning at the camera, smiling wide, holding Karakara like a doll in one arm and giving a peace sign in the other arm. She was right next to Hue, who was just smiling at the camera in the same pose from his first shot with Diane and Donovan, along with Douglas, who instead of smiling at the camera, was looking at Karakara.

"Huh…" Hue said as he looked at the picture.

"Aura…" He held up the picture of him and Ethel next to the one of him and Aura.

 _There is definitely something strange going on here…._ He thought.

"Did you know that you and Ethel both gave peace signs to the camera?"

"We did?" Aura asked surprised.

"Yeah, you did…" Hue answered.

 _And I think you guys might also have the same nose...which is really freaky…_

Hue could tell he was getting close to piecing something important together.

"You mind not standing in the way of our shot?" Twilight asked.

Hue turned to see Twilight and her Arbok along with Freddie and his Charmeleon.

"Sorry Hue…" Professor Oak said. "But I'm afraid I can't quite move the tripod this camera is resting on, otherwise it might become lopsided…"

 _And what a disaster that would be…_

"Alright…" Hue said.

"Oh, but by the way, Professor…"

"Yes? Quickly, Hubert if you don't mind."

"I need another batch of that medicine. It's mean to contain my condition right? So if someone had say...a less powerful one...the medicine would be able to either expel or kill it right?"

The Professor took the picture of Twilight and Freddie without giving them a warning because he was so startled by Hue's request.

Luckily, the photos came out looking perfectly fine.

"That's an incredibly dangerous thing to suggest." Professor Oak said. "After all, the very first time a subject came near meteorite, they were killed, and they were akin to you, having a large amount of DNA in their system."

"But that doesn't mean the small amount will kill a subject with less DNA right? I'm perfectly fine…"

"You're perfectly fine because the small amount your medicine contains isn't enough to pose a lethal threat to your condition." Professor Oak said. "If you really thought that-"

"I believe with all my heart professor, that I can save someone's life if I just try and test my theory."

"But at worst...you'll...you'll be responsible for manslaughter…"

"Professor…." Hue pleaded. "Please….I truly... _truly..._ believe that I can alleviate a huge burden from a large number of people."

"Fine…" The Professor said through gritted teeth. "But you'll have to wait a while before I can get you the cream you want. If you run out patience before then, you'll have to take it out of your own cream...and if you do, I can't guarantee that the green wound on your stomach won't return stronger than before."

Hue gulped.

"I understand, Professor."

A long and incredibly awkward silence ensued.

"Well...this is….awkward…" Twilight finally said.

"Friends!"

Davon Le Rouge came running along with pretty much absolutely everyone.

"Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen! We must! We absolutely _must_ take a large group picture!"

"Panoramic View!" He shouted as he energetically held up an incredibly high tech camera.

"It's Silph Co.'s latest camera! Incredibly high definition! Professor Oak, would you be so kind as to take the photo?"

"Haha…" Professor Oak laughed, happy to do _anything_ other than sit in the awkward silence that he and Hue had created.

"Of course. But it won't be an instant photo. I'll have to get it developed later…"

"As long as you send it to all of us when you finally get around to it!" Davon exclaimed.

He turned to everyone.

"Now come friends, let us commemorate our great gathering here! Quickly, everyone line up!"

Order of the large panoramic line from left to right:

Davon Le Rouge, smiling brightly at the camera with one arm brushing through his gelled blonde hair and his other arm drooped around Karen.

Karen Walls trying to smile at the camera but peeved that Davon is putting his hand on her without her permission.

Monica Wright, blowing a kiss to the camera with her arm around Terrence, as though she expects him to do the same.

Terrence Lovelace looking directly at the camera, doing absolutely nothing, though he has a similar disdain about Monica's actions as Karen's disdain towards Davon's.

Allan Cleveland looking incredibly nervous and out of place.

Craig Woods smiling normally, though his eyes are looking towards Sierra with a twinge of fear.

Sierra Randolph smiling incredibly creepily with a low head but a forward glance towards the camera.

Victor Grail giving a smug grin and holding his arms in a double 'rock on' symbol, as though this whole picture was his idea.

Cherry Devonshire posing in such a way that accented her cleavage and almost leaning her back on Victor.

Twilight Church trying to mirror Cherry by doing the exact same pose, and trying to lean her back on a significantly shorter Freddie.

Freddie Franks looking absolutely horrified at Twilight's decided pose, his face red as a beet as he tries to keep himself from falling to ground.

Donovan Key who is trying to smile towards the camera, but is too intrigued by Freddie's dilemma to keep his eyes focused, and is looking out of the corner of his eyes towards Freddie.

Diane Dorsey who is posed back to back with Ethel, and has her body with arms crossed facing towards Donovan while her head is turned towards the camera and she's giving a confident grin.

Ethel Ross who is back to back with Diane, her body, with one hand behind her back and one giving a low peace sign towards the camera, is leaning towards and facing Hue, while her head as facing the camera, though she is emotionless in her facial expressions.

Hue Swanson who is trying his best to focus on the camera, but is too busy dealing with Aura's harassment to actually take the picture seriously and has a large goofy grin on his face while his hands are trying to push Aura off him, and his eyes are slowly turned towards Ethel to make sure she isn't made.

Aura Jones who is trying her best to give a peace sign and look at the camera with a big smile while she uses her other arm to attempt to pull Hue in closer to her in a joking manner, laughing at the playful resistance.

Carmen Yiddle calmly away from the madness right next to her, simply tipping her large red hat down and giving a sly smile towards the camera.

Justin Mercer, posed with a serious face and arms crossed, looking towards the camera.

Finally, on the other end Helen Lang, smiling at the camera slightly, but clearly surprised at some unknown thing going on right next to her.

"Well that was...interesting…" Aura said to Hue as the two of them walked back to the Inn.

"I'll say." Hue said. "And hey, I just want to let you know Aura...about the hypothetical question you were asking earlier."

 _I think I've figured out what you want to tell me, Aura….After all this time...I think I've figured it out._

Aura looked at Hue surprised, and scared. "What about it?" She asked.

"If you ever found yourself in a position like that…" Hue began.

 _After all this time, I finally know who you really are…_

"And say Ethel was the target, and I'm you friend in that scenario…"

 _And who your real enemy has been all this time…_

"I trust you would make the right decision in the end."

 _And I would do everything I could to help defend the decision you make…_

"Because...when I look at you...Do you know what I see?"

"An annoying girl who doesn't know what 'no' means?" Aura guessed with a grin.

"I'm trying to be a mature and uplifting friend here!" Hue gave a small laugh. "Don't ruin it with jokes!"

"Sorry…" Aura grinned. "What do you see?"

"The answer may surprise you." Hue said

 _Just like your identity surprised me…_

"I look at you…And I see a hero."

Aura's eyes widened. She seemed ready to brake at that statement.

"No...No I'm _not_!" She looked down at the floor as they reached Hue's private room.

"Yes you are. You have an incredibly strong sense of right and wrong and you're constantly fighting to do the right thing against a very, very dangerous enemy."

 _Screw this...I need to show her I've figured this out, otherwise who knows how much she'll hide from me?_

Before Aura could say anything. Hue gave a large fake yawn, though what he said was true.

"I'm tired now. So I'm going to leave it at that and go to sleep. I look forward to travelling with you once again…"

Hue paused before saying her name.

"Goodnight." He finally said. "Muranaka Saki."

Aura dropped her Safari Ball on the ground. Tears welled up in her eyes.

A Dragonair slithered out of it and into her room down the hall.

"Please…" She said. "Just call me Saki…"

She threw her arms around him. "It's so good to finally, truly, see you again, Huey…"

"It's good to see you again too, Saki….now please let go so we can both get some sleep."

Everyone left Pallet Town at different times and in different directions.

Hue and Saki both left towards Route 1 in order to head to Viridian City where they would work towards their final badges, from Ethel's stepmother's gym.

Back in Professor Oak's Lab, the Professor was uploading the picture he had taken with Silph Co's latest camera of all those trainers.

His eyes widened as he saw, for the very first time, what Helen was so shocked at in the photo.

To the right of her, looking equal parts at Helen and at the camera, was a very, _very_ faint but visible body and face of Muranaka Junzo. He had a large but tightlipped smile and held a single finger up to his lips.

"Shhh." Professor Oak thought he heard the wind say.

He looked around and saw no one, so he looked at the Silph Co. camera, and noticed a small message on it.

 _From the same workers that brought you the Silph Scope!_


	69. Route 1 Rivalry

Chapter 69:

Route 1 Rivalry

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Protect, Rapid Spin, Water Pulse, Skull Bash

Vasquez(Rhyhorn*shiny): Horn Attack, Stomp, Bulldoze, Smack Down

Espella(Espeon): Morning Sun, Swift, Psybeam, Future Sight

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Fury Cutter

Gumshoe(Growlithe); Odor Sleuth, Dig, Reversal, Fire Fang

"What?" Hue asked in agony. "I finally know your real damn name, but can't use it?"

"Please keep calling me Aura! At least until we're at the Indigo Plateau." Saki pleaded. "If you don't then…Chandler will notice that you figured out who I was….And then…" She began to hyperventilate.

"Okay, Okay!" Hue conceded. "You're still Aura...You're still Aura...I'll call you that the way I call Diane 'Didi'."

"Alright...But you need to be _extra_ careful…" Saki warned him. "Chandler can use Mewtwo's psychic abilities to alter his appearance. He was the _cruise captain,_ Huey…"

"Alright, Alright…" Hue gestured, telling Saki to calm down.

"I get it, it's dangerous for... some reason you aren't telling me...But I trust you, so please, stay calm about it S-"

Saki gave Hue a piercing glare.

 _Different name, same shit._

"Aura…" He corrected himself.

"Thank you." Saki said as she began to parade down route 1.

"By the way, Huey…"

She handed Hue the very Fire Stone that Freddie had given her when everyone was gathered at Professor Oak's Lab.

"This is my late birthday present to you. You can use it on Gumshoe when you think he's ready…"

She bit her nail and looked away.

Hue didn't blame her.

Considering what had happened to Freddie for him to get the stone in the first place, it even made Hue feel a little guilty for what happened.

"Thank you very much S-"

*Glare*

"Thank you very much Aura…"

 _Good to know that she's getting back to her normal self...more or less._

"So...what about that Dragonair?" Hue ended up asking.

"Or is that a taboo subject too?"

"Nah...I guess not…" Saki gave a sly grin. "Besides, it might be fun to have two Hueys next to each other."

"I'm flattered that you names something that rare after me…" Hue said. "But please don't send him out just to confuse me…"

"I would _never!_ " Saki gave a sly grin.

 _Your face says that's exactly what you were going to do!_

"On the road, On the road…" Saki began to sing out of the blue.

"On the road, On the road…"

 _The hell is she doing?_

"On the road, to Viridian City…" She sang with a grin."

Hue facepalmed.

 _I'm so glad I didn't have her with me the first time I was making my way to Viridian City…_

Hue ignored Saki's continuous singing of the well known childrens' song and looked down at a compartment of his bag where his medicine was being stored.

 _I know who Saki is…_

 _So I know that she's Subject 2...and she may or may not have a pokemon inside of her, but I can't just ask that because she's convinced it's dangerous to be open about how much I know about her...But if what Helen said is true, she's struggling against whatever pokemon DNA is in her...so should I give her some cream or not? Professor Oak doesn't think its a good idea but...Deus is almost a complete entity, and he's peaceful, yet it still hurts like hell when I deal with his abilities. I can only imagine how much more a violent and incomplete version of Deus might feel like...I know I'd want to use the cream…_

"Are you really not singing along to the most fitting song to our situation ever?" Saki asked as she snapped Hue back into reality.

"I'll start again. On the road, On the road…" She began to sing again.

She pointed at Hue, who sighed.

"On the road, On the road…"

"On the road, to Viridian City…" Again Saki pointed to Hue.

"Look, I don't know the lyrics like I did when I was three, and I'm a terrible singer anyways…"

"I thought you'd be more full of life after recovering…" Saki huffed.

 _Arceus bless her, she's trying so hard to act like nothing's changed at all even though she knows that I know who she really is…_

"Swanson!" A gruff voice shouted from behind Hue and Saki.

They both turned.

Victor and Morren were both running up to Hue as fast as they could.

"Hue, don't listen to-" Morren began before Victor shoved him down to the ground.

"Owww…." He whined.

"Shut up, wimp." Victor almost spat at Morren.

He turned to Hue. "You and me...battling for all the money ya' got, understand?"

"I don't want to battle you putting all my pokeyen in the pot…" Hue answered. "I've barely recovered, and I'm not sure I can-"

"Ha!" Morren laughed in Victor's face as he stood up, then quickly ducked to avoid a punch from the angry brute.

"What about me, Hue?" Morren asked. "Are you finally ready to battle me?"

 _I'm ready to run as fast as I can away from you two…_

"Fat chance." Victor said. "Swanson's battling me right now."

"I never said that." Hue felt the need to point out.

"No, he agreed to battle me!" Morren whined back to Victor.

"I never said that either…"

"Pssst…" Saki whispered in Hue's ear. "Huey…We can make this work.."

"But it's already May.." Hue whispered back. "The Grand Festival starts in early June...We don't the luxury of enough time to sit around have me battle both of these people…"

"Just take them on at the same time…" Aura said. "I'll ref the battle. They should be so busy arguing with each other that you can beat them easily, and then we'll be loaded with pokeyen!"

 _Sometimes your craftiness scares me…_

HUE VS VICTOR AND MORREN

"This match will be a 4v4 Double Battle style match!" Saki called out from the ref position. "The match will be over when all of one side's pokemon are no longer able to battle! Trainers, send out your pokemon!"

"Go!" Hue called out. "Espella and Douglas!"

"Blastoise!" Douglas bellowed.

"Essspeooonn…" Espella howled.

"Go!" Victor yelled. "Golem!"

"Go!" Morren also yelled. "Alakazam!"

"It looks like this match is going to start off with Hue's Blastoise and Espeon VS Victor's Golem and Morren's Alakazam!"

Hue lifted his pokedex up to Victor's Golem first.

"[Golem]." Dean informed him. "The [Megaton] Pokemon. It's boulder-like body is extremely hard. It can easily withstand dynamite blasts without damage. Once a year, it sheds its bedrock shell and grows larger."

"That's fucking _bedrock_ on it?" Hue asked in disbelief.

" _That's_ what you found intimadting?" Victor asked confused.

 _Well, I mean, I also have a pokemon that can withstand explosions so it's not that big of a deal. Besides, does it look like I'm going to be relying on explosions to you?_

Hue shifted Dean towards Morren's Alakazam.

"[Alakazam]." Dean announced. "The [Psi] Pokemon. With a brain like a supercomputer, this pokemon possesses many supernatural powers. It uses Psychic attacks to overcome opponents."

"I feel like I've heard that before…" Hue said.

"Genius…" Saki rolled her eyes. "We battled an Alakazam back in Saffron remember? The weird gym leader and the PokeChess?"

"Right…" Hue nodded as he put Dean away.

 _Though If I remember correctly, Ethel was the one who dealt with the Alakazam, and she used physical attacks. I haven't exactly chosen the right pokemon for that job…_

"Battle, Start!" All the trainers yelled.

"Golem!" Victor yelled out. "Stone Edge on that Espeon!"

"Golllllemmm!" The Golem yelled as it summoned pointed stones in the air and shot them towards Espella.

"Espella!" Hue retaliated. "Dodge them, and Future Sight!"

"Esss…" Espella's fur twitched in the wind as she elegantly danced her way around the Stone Edge as each pointed stone dug itself into the ground, creating somewhat of a small mound of jagged rocks, that Espella landed on top of, surveying the area.

She then closed her eyes and shot a small wave of psychic rings towards the Golem.

"Espeon!" Espella called back to Hue, letting him know that she had foreseen an attack.

"Alakazam!" Morren called out. "Use Energy Ball on the the Blastoise!'

"Protect, Douglas!" Hue called out.

Douglas instantly put up a large green forcefield around himself as the Alakazam shot a large green blob of energy towards Douglas.

The blob hit the forcefield, breaking it, but Douglas remained perfectly alright.

"Golem!" Victor yelled. "Use Earthquake!"

"Gooolllleeemmmmm!" The Golem roared as the entirety of Route 1 shook and not only both Douglas and Espella, but Morren's Alakazam all felt the adverse effects of the Earthquake attack.

"What the hell?" Morren asked in his signature whining voice. "Don't attack me! I'm your teammate!"

"Like hell you are." Victor scoffed. "Just don't get in my way!"

He turned back to his Golem.

"Now Golem, while the Blastoise is down, use Heavy Slam!"

"Douglas!" Hue called out. "Protect-!"

But Douglas couldn't do it, and the Golem slammed itself into him.

"Blastoise…" Douglas panted as he got up.

"Water Pulse!" Hue called out.

"Toise!" Douglas grunted as he shot a Water Pulse towards Victor's Golem.

"Alakazam!" Morren yelled. "Use Ally Switch!"

"Alakazam!" The Alakazam shouted as both it and Victor's Golem teleported to each other's original space on the battlefield.

The Water Pulse hit the Alakazam.  
"Espella, use Swift!" Hue called out.

"Espeon!" Espella barked as she shot a barrage of stars towards both the Golem and the Alakazam, which despite both Victor's and Morren's best efforts, neither of their pokemon could avoid.

"Now Alakazam!" Morren shouted. "Use Recover!"

"Alakazam!" Morren's Alakazam announced as it began to heal itself.

"Douglas!" Hue called out. "Use Skull Bash while he's busy recovering!"

Douglas lowered his head, and charged himself at the Alakazam, slamming it into the ground.

"Alaka…" The pokemon psychically lifted itself back up, though it was clearly having trouble standing.

"Golem!" Victor called out. "Use Explosion!"

 _This fucking attack again?_

"This fucking attack again?" Hue asked with disbelief. "What are you hoping to accomplish with a move like that?"

He turned to his pokemon when Victor didn't answer.

"Espella, see if you can't take shelter behind the rocks you're standing on! Douglas! Use Pro-"

"Blaaaaaasssssss!" Douglas bellowed as loud as Hue had ever heard him. Every scale on his body turned as hard as iron, and Douglas took on the look of a metallic guise.

"[Iron Defense]." Dean informed Hue. "A [Steel] Type Move. The user hardens its body's surface like iron, sharply raising its Defense stat."

"So...like a hardcore version of Withdraw?" Hue asked.

"Basically." Dean agreed. "A good move to learn to counter Explosion."

As soon as the word Explosion left Dean's mouth, Victor's Golem exploded.

Dirt, rocks, earth, and dust spread everywhere as a cloud of black smoke covered the battlefield.

As the smoke cleared up, the first, and obvious, pokemon that was a casualty of the attack was Victor's Golem.

"Golem is unable to battle!" Saki called out.

The second victim was Espella, despite the fact that she had not been hit earlier.

 _So that's how powerful an Explosion attack can really be…_ Hue realized. _I think I'm starting to see why Victor is so quick to jump to that attack. I still don't agree with it, but for someone as power focused as he is, I see what he's trying to do…_

"Espeon is unable to battle!" Saki announced.

The third casualty didn't happen right away.

"Alaka…" Morren's Alakazam had managed to avoid the actual Explosion attack, but just when it thought it was safe, the Future Sight that was originally intended for Golem descended and hit Alakazam instead, finally knocking it to the ground, unconscious.

"Alakazam is unable to battle!" Saki exclaimed.

Finally, the debris cleared around Douglas. He looked beaten to his last breath, but he was still standing, and ready to fight.

"Blaaaassstoise!" Douglas bellowed as he surrounded himself with a blueish energy.

 _Torrent…_ Hue thought at first. That was...until the clouds began to cover the sky and heavy rain began to pour down.

"[Rain Dance]" Dean informed Hue. "A [Water] Type Move. The user summons a heavy rain that falls for a long time and powers up Water Type Moves."

"Go!" Morren called out as he sent out his next pokemon. "Crobat!"

"Croooobattt!" Morren's Crobat semi-cackled as it constantly flapped its wings to stay airborne in the heavy rainfall.

"[Crobat]." Dean informed Hue. "The [Bat] Pokemon. The evolved form of Golbat. With its two additional wings, Crobat is able to fly much faster than Golbat."

"That doesn't really help me much…" Hue gritted his teeth.

 _Why is it that sometimes my pokedex is just what I need, but sometimes it's a useless piece of junk?_

"Go!" Victor called out his next pokemon. "Tauros!"

"Taaauuuurooosss!" The bull-looking pokemon flicked its tails. The thing looked incredibly angry.

"[Tauros]." Dean stated. "The [Wild Bull] Pokemon. When whipping itself with its three tails, it's Tackle is a powerful destructive force."

"I don't believe that a _Tackle_ attack is a powerful destructive force for a second.." Hue shook his head.

He readied a pokemon that he felt was more than enough to deal with both the Crobat and the Tauros.

"Go!" He yelled.

"Vasquez!"

Somewhere, off in the distance, a guitar strummed a small tune.

"Rhyyyyhornnnn!" Vasquez announced as he began to get ready to charge at the already ready to charge Tauros across from him.

"Crobat!" Morren called out. He then stated the very last thing Hue thought he would ever hear someone tell a Crobat to do.

"Use Sunny Day!" Morren called out.

"Crobat!" The Crobat flitted about as the clouds and rain went away in favor of a more intensely beating sun.

"It can _learn_ that?" Hue asked surprised.

"Crobats have, on occasion, been observed to know both the Sunny Day and Rain Dance pokemon moves." Dean informed Hue.

Douglas gave a large sigh.  
"Blaaassssstoisse…." The poor guy seemed bummed that his Rain Dance was cut short.

"Now, Tauros!" Victor shouted.

"Use Zen Headbutt on that Rhyhorn!"

"Counter it with a Horn Attack, Vasquez!" Hue announced.

"Rhyhorrrn!"

"Taurrrosss!"

The two pokemon collided with each other head first, causing a small cloud of dust to appear.

Victor's Tauros skidded away from Vasquez as the dust settled.

 _Looks like we know who the more balanced sumo wrestler is._ Hue thought to himself.

 _Vasquez won't be pushed around by a Tauros._

"Douglas!" Hue called out. "Use Water Pulse on the Crobat! Vasquez, use Stomp on the Tauros!"

"Blaaas!" Douglas bellowed as he shot a Water Pulse out of his cannons towards Morren's Crobat, who was quickly and silently flying around in the air.

"Crobat, dodge, and Cross Poison!" Morren announced.

"Tauros!" Victor yelled. "Thrash attack go!"

Vasquez and Victor's Tauros ran into each other again, and once again, a puff of dust shot up, and Victor's Tauros skidded out of it, while Vasquez remained stoic.

"Crobat!" Morren's Crobat announced quickly as it dodged Douglas's Water Pulse and slashed across his chest with glowing purple claws on the tips of its wings.

"Toisee…" Douglas fell to the ground with a thud.

"Blastoise is unable to battle!" Saki called out.

Hue returned his pokemon and looked up at the sun.

 _Sunny weather eh?_

"Go!" He announced. "Gumshoe!"

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe barked as he took in as much sunlight as he could.

"Now Gumshoe!" Hue called out. "Use Fire Fang on the Crobat! Vasquez, use Smack Down on the same pokemon!"

"GrowwwGrooowwGrowww!" Gumshoe began to pant hard as his entire body engulfed itself in flames and he ran faster than Hue had ever seen straight into Morren's Crobat, just in time for the Stone from Vasquez's Smack Down attack to hit the same target.

"What the hell move was that?" Hue wondered aloud.

"[Flare Blitz]" Dean stated. "A [Fire] Type Move. The user cloaks itself in fire and charges the target. This also damages the user quite a lot. May leave the target with a burn."

"Growlithe…" Gumshoe knelt down on the ground, clearly in pain from the full body tackle he had just performed.

"Gumshoe, you okay buddy?" Hue asked.

"Growww…" Gumshoe replied.

"Tauros!" Victor yelled. "Thrash again!"

"Tauurrros!" The Wild Bull pokemon yelled as it charged for Vasquez.

"Vasquez!" Hue called out.

"Rhyhorn!" Vasquez began to charge at the Tauros again, but instead of a regular Horn Attack, he jumped off the ground and began to rotate his body like a drill.

 _We're learning moves left and right today aren't we?_ Hue wondered.

"[Drill Run]" Dean said as Vasquez practically impaled Tauros, sending him running back to Victor once again, visibly in a large amount of pain. "A [Ground] Type Move. The user crashes into its target while rotating its body like a drill. Critical hits land more easily."

"Taurrosss!" Victor's Tauros yelled in pure rage.

Hue noticed the red energy surrounding it.

"Don't tell me…" He began.

"[Anger Point]." Dean identified the Tauros's ability. "Maxes the Attack stat after the bearer of this ability takes a critical hit."

"Now Tauros!" Victor shouted. "Use Giga Impact!"

"Tauros!" The Wild Bull pokemon ran right into Morren's Crobat.

"What the hell?" Morren whined.

"I couldn't help it!" Victor defended himself. "Tauros gets confused after using Thrash for too long! Even a shrimp like you should know that!"

"Well, let's hope you can survive on your own Victor…" Saki said as she looked over Morren's Crobat.

"Because Crobat is definitely unable to continue battling."

"Gumshoe. Vasquez!" Hue called out. "Are the two of you ready to finish this?"

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe grinned.

"Hornnn…" Vasquez grunted.

"Gumshoe, use Dig!" Hue ordered.

"Growlllithe!" Gumshoe began to burrow far under the ground.

"Tauros!" Victor yelled. "Use Zen Headbutt!"

But the pokemon stayed in its spot, unmoving.

"The fuck?" He asked.

"That's Giga Impact for you…" Saki said in as smug a tone as she could muster. "It's powerful sure, but whoever uses it is going to have to take a while to rest and leave themselves open to attack….But of course, a _good_ trainer would never leave their pokemon in such a situation. Am I right?"

 _I don't like him either, Saki, but I think you might be hitting him below the belt so to speak._

"Now Vasquez!" Hue said with a grin. "Use Bulldoze!"

"Horrrrnnnn!" Vasquez roared as the ground trembled while he stomped upon everything around him and practically ran Victor's Tauros over.

"And Gumshoe!" Hue said. "Finish it off!"

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe rammed into Tauros from under the ground.

"Taurrrr…." The pokemon fell on its back.

"Tauros is unable to battle!" Saki announced. "That means that Rhyhorn and Growlithe are the winners, so Victory goes to Huey and Vasquez and Gumshoe!"

Hue returned both his pokemon and Victor and Morren returned theirs.

"This loss was _all your fault_!" Morren argued with Victor.

"My fault?" Victor asked, offended. "If anything this loss was _your fault_ for being such a shitty ass partner!"

"Well, I'm certainly not going to team up with you ever again!" Morren huffed as both he and Victor relinquished the pokeyen that they had on them.

"Yeah!" Victor called after him as they both rushed towards Pallet Town again.

"Why don't you come back here and say that to my face?"

Hue and Saki looked at each other.

"I never want to have to battle either of those two ever again…" Hue said with an exasperated sigh.

"Look on the bright side." Saki smirked. "At least we've got all this _Cash Money_."

Hue laughed as he shook his head and the two of them continued on their way towards Viridian City.

" _You_ spent way too much time with Didi when you were on that cruise."

Saki bit her nail and looked away.

"Yeah…" She said in a distant voice.

 _Something happen?_

Hue was about to ask Saki if anything happened, but decided against it.

 _Nah. She'll either tell me when she's ready, or I'll figure it out on my own._

"Hey, Aura…" Hue decided to say instead. _I can't believe I still have to use this fake name..._

"How about we put your birthday present to me to use right now?"

"Growlithe!" Gumshoe was instantly out of his pokeball.

Hue held the Fire Stone down to Gumshoe.

"I say you've more than earned it with all the help you've given me both on and off the battlefield." Hue smiled.

Gumshoe jumped up and licked Hue's cheek affectionately before taking the Fire Stone in his mouth, and beginning to glow in a bright light.

After Gumshoe's evolution into Arcanine was complete, both Hue and Saki walked as fast as they could towards Viridian City.

They got there in the late evening.

"Aren't you just a little bit tired?" Saki asked as she of all people struggled to keep up with Hue, who was practically sprinting to the Viridian City Gym.

"Well, I've been waiting for my entire journey to meet the Gym Leader of this gym!" Hue replied. "And considering my relationship with Ethel, now it's even more important that I meet a legal guardian of hers!"

"Maybe we could wait until the morning though?" Saki asked, almost as though she was equally eager to not go into the gym.

"You can if you want." Hue said. "But I've been waiting for this moment for months on end now, and I can finally challenge the Viridian Gym now that-"

Hue stopped.

"What?" Saki asked as she caught up to him.

She looked at where Hue's gaze was pointing.

"Oh…"

She bit her nail and looked away.

Hue tried to process what he was seeing.

There was a notice taped to the door.

 _Gym Closed. Will open again at Leader's discretion upon her return._

 _-Gym Leader Ross_

Hue sighed, and sulked his head all the way to the pokemon center.

He lay on the top bunk above Saki, sleeping peacefully on the bottom.

For the first time in a long time, he wasn't alone in his room, but even that comfort wasn't enough to cheer him up enough to fall asleep.

He was all the way back in Viridian City...and the gym was still empty.

 _Damn it…._


	70. VS In Viridian

Chapter 70:

VS In Viridian!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Water Pulse, Skull Bash, Iron Defense, Rain Dance

Vasquez(Rhyhorn*shiny): Stomp, Bulldoze, Smack Down, Drill Run

Espella(Espeon): Morning Sun, Swift, Psybeam, Future Sight

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Spikes, Icicle Crash

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Fury Cutter

Gumshoe(Arcanine); Odor Sleuth, Dig, Extremespeed, Flare Blitz

Hue awoke with a yawn.

He got up out of bed, got dressed for the day, and walked into the Pokemon Center commons.

"It's nice to see you again, Hue." The Nurse Joy at the counter smiled. "Do you recognize me?"

"Is that supposed to be a joke?" Hue asked, wondering if the Nurse Joy was joking with him.

"Of course not!" Nurse Joy said. "I'm the Joy that signed you up for the Pokemon League, remember?"

Hue thought back to his first visit to Viridian City.

 _Now that she mentions it...Yeah...I do remember…_

"How have your travels been going?"

"They've been going-"

Hue stopped himself from saying that his travels had been going well.

On the surface, sure. He had seven badges and four ribbons and only needed one more of each, but he was fairly certain that the average trainer's journey wasn't filled with murder cases, angry birds of destruction, and a convoluted history of kidnapping, deaths, and scientific experiments.

"I only need one more badge and one more ribbon." Hue finally decided to tell Nurse Joy.  
"Well...The Gym Leader's been away from the Gym for a while now…" Nurse Joy lamented. "But if it's a contest you're looking for…"

She pointed outside.

"Take a left once you get out the double doors and keep heading that way until you get to a small flower garden. Take another left there and you'll eventually run into the Viridian City Contest Hall. The Gym overlooks it, so if you get lost, just hike up to the Gym to get a good vantage point."

"You mean a contest is happening today?"

"Yes." Nurse Joy nodded her head. "Aura came by earlier and told me to tell you that she was going to be watching the contest and that you ought to enter and win it, because she won't under any circumstances travel anywhere unless its finally towards the Indigo Plateau."

 _That sounds like Saki all right…_

"So, take a left and keep going, take another left at this flower garden, and after I while I should see the Contest Hall?" Hue asked for clarification.

Nurse Joy nodded. "That's correct. Good luck, Hue."

"Thank you, Nurse Joy!" Hue bowed his head before he left the Pokemon Center's double doors and began to walk in the direction he had been instructed.

As he walked, he noticed four trainers battling on a dirt battlefield.

He remembered _his_ battle on that same field.

The battle where Saki announced that she would be Hue's travel partner. The battle where Hue was almost absolutely sure that Ethel was going easy on him considering how tough she was to defeat in Fuchsia City.

 _It's been a really really long time since that battle…._ He snickered to himself.

 _I even still have that favor from Ethel that's just sitting there collecting dust._

As Hue daydreamed, he walked into the back of someone.

"Oof…"

"Listen, twerp…" The woman he accidentally walked into turned around.

She stopped, surprised.

"Oh...It's _you_." Regalia said with a sigh. "I hope you don't think that my generosity in taking care of your idiotic friends was a free gift." She said.

"I don't understand…" Hue replied.

Regalia looked at Hue with piercing green eyes.

 _She really does look like an older version of Saki…_

"Understand _this._ " She said. "I know that you know who and where Subject 2 is. I want you to tell me right _now_."

Hue gulped.

Saki had told him to pretend like he didn't know who she was.

She had also told him that Chandler could appear as anyone using Mewtwo's psychic powers.

"I really don't know…" Hue lied. "Now please, I need to get to a contest. If I win I'll have all the ribbons I need."

"And then you and Saki can both challenge the gym leader and be on your merry way?" Regalia asked in such a mocking tone that Hue didn't realize how terribly he had blown his cover when he gave a brisk nod and walked into the Contest Hall.

"Welcome!" The announcer yelled as the Viridian City crowed cheered out loud.

"We're sorry audience, but we only have 4 Participating Coordinators in this Contest!"

She announced.

A large collective groan, "Awwww…" to be specific, filled the building.

"But don't worry!" The announcer continued. "Because each of these 4 Coordinators is only _One Ribbon_ away from their fifth! Whoever wins here today, you'll be guaranteed to see competing in The Grand Festival!"

"Wooooo!" The audience began to cheer again.

"And even though we don't need to do it, since all 4 Coordinators will move on to the second round, we've still got a performance round for you lovely folks who decided to come out today!"

"Wooooo!"

"Remember, following the Grand Festival Rules, only one move is allowed to be used during this Performance Stage! And now, give a round of applause for our first Coordinator...Carmen Yiddle!"

"Wooooo!" The crowd hollered as Carmen walked out onto the stage.

"Go!" She threw her pokeball. "Diglett!"

"Diggggg!" The Mole Pokemon cheered cheerfully as it bobbed up and down.

The audience applauded tremendously.

"Now Diglett!" Carmen insisted.

"Use Aerial Ace!"

The audience gasped and watched in awe as the Diglett shot itself, and the surrounding ground, up into the air.

If one squinted at just the right moment, they would have been able to see what looked like two teeny tiny feet.

"Amazing!" The announcer exclaimed as Carmen's Diglett landed back on the ground perfectly and in the exact same place it had jumped from.

The audience applauded wildly as Carmen took a bow and walked off the stage after returning her Diglett.

She gave Hue a grin when she returned to the waiting room.

"You really think you can win your fifth ribbon in this contest?" She asked as Diane went up to partake in her performance.

Sierra Randolph sat in the corner, not talking to anyone.

"Don't think that I haven't been training just because I've been out of it for so long." Hue warned his boss.

"You might be surprised by what you find out."

"Then let's watch your sister's performance now and wait until our inevitable battle."

Hue nodded as he looked at the monitor.

"And here is our second coordinator, Diane Swanson!"

"So she's using the adoptive name this time…" Hue mumbled.

Carmen raised an eyebrow.

"Does she switch often?"

"About as often as she switches clothes." Hue joked. "Sometimes she's Diane Dorsey, sometimes she's Diane Swanson...But on legal documents she usually likes to use her birth name...so she'll probably be using it for the Grand Festival and League."

"Assuming she's able to get into the Grand Festival." Carmen said as Diane sent out her Raichu and had it use a powerful Discharge attack, creating an amazing lightning display.

The audience oohed and ahhed and applauded tremendously when the lightning show was finished and Diane and Chusie bowed for the audience.

"What do you mean _assuming_?" Hue asked as he got up to go give his performance.

"Well…" Carmen explained herself. "If your sister doesn't win here' she's going to have to travel to Pewter, and try to win there, and then she'll have to travel back, and if she managed to make it to the Indigo Plateau in time for the Grand Festival, she likely wouldn't have much time to train, if any.."

"What about you?" Hue asked. "Aren't you in the same dilemma?"

"Not quite…" Carmen tossed her Pidgeot's pokeball in her hand. "I have the ability to Fly wherever I need to go. I once met the person who owns the HM for it."

Hue nodded.

"I see…" He said. "Then you won't mind if I take this ribbon for myself." He grinned as he walked out onto the stage.

"And put your hands together for our next coordinator, Hubert Swanson!" The announcer cheered as the audience cheered and applauded with her.

"Go, Huey!" Saki cheered from the front row.

She put her arm around a nervous Ethel, who must have been there for Diane, but was now blushing heavily as she timidly tried to get out of Saki's grip.  
"You gotta' win this thing alright! We're rooting for ya!"

 _Saki...I get that you want to be supportive, but maybe you should let Ethel just watch the contest in peace…_

"Go!" Hue called out as he sent out his pokemon.

"Douglas!"

"Blaaaaastoiseee!" Douglas bellowed.

"Douglas!" Hue called out, "Rain Dance, extra flare!"

"Tooooisssee! Blassstoiisee!"

The audience laughed with glee as they watched the large and heavy Blastoise jumping around doing what he no doubt thought was a cool dance and summoning rain wherever he went.

In actuality, it was more akin to Douglas hoping to one place, regaining his balance, and then hopping to another place.

Like Leapfrog, only with a giant turtle with cannons on its back in a special cloud of rain that only followed him around.

The audience was laughing as they applauded when Hue and Douglas finally finished and took a bow.

"That was hilarious Huey!" Saki called. Hue turned to look and saw Saki and Ethel both managing to smile at him.

He was about to back behind the stage, when he noticed it again.

 _Yeah...their noses are like...the exact same…_

Hue began to speculate on what that could mean, but decided that it wasn't worthy of his focus at the moment.

No, what mattered right now was winning this contest.

If he won, he would only have the Grand Festival left. He didn't seriously think he would win it of course. He had only signed up for his _first_ because Saki had wanted him to. But he did want to see how far he could get.

"And finally, let's all put our hands together for Sierra Randolph!" The announcer announced as Sierra walked passed Hue and onto the stage for her performance.

"You're back!" Diane said with a cheerful grin as she pointed at the monitor.

"Did you see my...electrifying display?"

"I was shocked." Hue joked towards her with a small laugh.

"Do you really not get it?" Carmen asked. "One of you will get your final ribbon here, and the other one will have to hike to Pewter. And I assume you both want an Earthbadge too…"

"Actually…" Diane held up an Earthbadge. "I already got mine."

She gave Hue a nudge.

"Hey Huey, a word of advice. The Viridian City Gym Leaders range from Tough, to Too Tough to Unfairly Overpowered. Be careful you don't ask for a battle with the wrong one."

Hue wondered what Diane meant by that, but let it go.

"And by the way…" Diane said to Carmen as Sierra sent out her pokemon and Hue began to watch the last performance. "I can _also_ Fly. You aren't the only one with connections to that HM's owner."

"Who is that HM's owner?" Hue asked as he watched with amazement as Sierra sent out her Starmie and had it use a beautiful Cosmic Power attack, that left the audience absolutely speechless.

"You don't know?" Diane gave a small gasp. "I'd thought Ethel would've told you by now...her dad owns the HM Fly. Well, the only one in Kanto anyways."

 _You've got to be kidding me...Is there anything that girl's family_ doesn't _own?_

"And that's it for the Performance Stage!" The announcer announced to the audience. "Now to see which Coordinator will face off against who!"

Hue shivered with anticipation.

His name was the first to appear.

 _ **Hue Swanson…**_

 _ **VS**_

…

…

 _ **Diane Dorsey**_

Hue and Diane looked at each other with serious expressions and nodded.

This wasn't the final battle they would have liked to face each other in, but it would still decide which one of them got a shot at their fifth ribbon and which one of them would have to try and race the clock for the last ribbon from Pewter.

Sierra looked at Carmen nervously.

Hue had a feeling that he knew Carmen would make it to the final round of this contest.

"Are you ready?" She asked him.

"Whenever you are…" Hue replied.

After about another half a minute, the two walked out onto the stage.

"The first battle will be between Hue and Diane!" The announcer exclaimed. "It will be in Double Battle format! You all know the rules! The battle will be over when either trainer's points reach zero, the timer reaches zero, or one of either trainer's pokemon is no longer able to battle!"

The announcer turned to Hue and Diane.

"Coordinators...send out your pokemon!"

"Go!" Diane's hand thew two pokeballs into the air.

"Gygara and Nixor!"

"Gyaradooosss!" Gygara roared.

"Onnnixxx!" Nixor bellowed.

The two serpintine pokemon seemed to coil around each other.

 _Sea serpent and land serpent?_

Hue tossed his two pokeballs out.  
"Go! Cooper and Arthur!" He announced.

"Cloyster…." Cooper grinned as he shot a quick glance up at Arthur.

"G'lade." Arthur nodded back.

"It looks like this battle will be Gyarados and Onix VS Cloyster and Gallade!" The announcer exclaimed. "Coordinators, are you ready?"

"Ready!" Both Hue and Diane said at the same time.

"Battle...Start!" All three of them exclaimed.

"Gygara, Hyper Beam that Cloyster!" Diane called out right away. "Nixor, use Double Edge on the Gallade!"  
"Cooper!" Hue ordered. "Use Withdraw for defensive measures! Arthur, use Swords Dance to avoid the Stone Edge!"

"Gyaraaadoooooooossss!" Gygara shot a large blast of energy and Cooper, who ducked into his shell just in time to avoid taking too much damage, however, the immense power coming from Gygara's hyper beam managed to still send Cooper's shell flying back.

Hue's points dropped slightly

"G'lade!" Arthur quickly used a Sword's Dance to avoid the Double-Edge that Nixor had charged him with,

Diane's points began to go down.

However, when Arthur was backing up from his Swords Dance, he hadn't anticipated that Cooper would be skidding back at him, and both of Hue's pokemon bumped into each other.

Hue's points declined further as he noticed a crack on Cooper's shell.

 _Oh no...that can't be good, can it?..._

As soon as he was done finishing that thought, Cooper's entire shell began to crack until suddenly…

 _Crrrrrrraaaacccck!_

Hue looked on in amazement as Cooper somehow shed his shell to reveal a completely new one, that still looked soft and not quite as hard as a Cloyster shell would normally be.

The audience cheered as Hue noticed he got some points back.

"What was that?" He asked Dean.

"[Shell Smash]." Dean replied. "A [Normal] Type user breaks its shell which lowers its defensive stats, but sharply raises both its offensive stats as well as its speed."

Hue's eyes flickered. "You don't say…" He grinned.

"Nixor!" Diane called out. "Use Stone Edge on the Cloyster!"

Hue took a huge sigh of relief that Gygara needed just a little while of time to recover from the Hyper Beam it had just used.

"Onnnixxx!" Nixor summoned many pointed stones and began shooting them all at Cooper.

"Arthur!" Hue called out. "Pick Cooper up and use Sword's Dance to avoid the Stone Edge! Don't let any of them hit him!"

"G'lade! Gallade! Gal! Gal!" Arthur grunted as he picked up Cooper and protected him like he was a football and Arthur was at the ten yard line.

"Now, toss Cooper up, Arthur!" Hue called. "And Cooper, use Icicle Crash on the Onix!"

"Gallade!" Arthur tossed Cooper up.

As Nixor looked up to see Cooper bounding through the air, Arthur tapped the Onix on the shoulder.

Both his hands were glowing with a white light.

"G'lade!" He yelled as he brought his fists into Nixor as Cooper shot a large Icicle towards the same target.

"Cloyster!" He grinned.

"What move did Arthur just use?" Hue wondered aloud as he held Dean up once more.

"[Helping Hand]." Dean informed Hue. "A [Normal] Type Move. The user assists an ally by boosting the power of that ally's attack."

A large cloud of dust surrounded the Onix, and when it finally cleared…

"Onix is unable to battle!" The ref announced.

Hue's portrait overtook the monitor. "Which means Hue will be moving on to the next round."

Diane gave a disappointed sigh as she returned her pokemon.

She shook Hue's hand. "Good battle, my brother." She said. "But you better win the ribbon now, otherwise I'm not gonna forgive you."

"Right." Hue nodded.

"Welp…" Diane gave another sigh. "I guess I'll be off."

"Be off?" Hue wondered.

"Yeah." Diane nodded. "I need to get to Pewter ASAP if I'm gonna get the last ribbon I need for the Grand Festival."

"You should at least tell Eth-" Hue began.

"Trust me, she knows already." Diane interrupted him as she headed towards the lobby to leave. "Besides, with _you_ in town, I'll probably end up a third wheel or something." She joked. "I'll see you at the Indigo Plateau, Huey."

And Diane was right.

The next time Hue saw her, it would be at the Indigo Plateau.

Carmen and Sierra's fight went exactly the way Hue had expected it would, and Carmen moved on to the final round.

This was it.

He was about to face his boss in the final round of a contest.

Hue wasn't sure how he felt about it, but he knew that the more points he won by, the better he would feel about his victory over her.

"Now, put your hands together for our two Finalists!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Carmen and Hue!"

The audience applauded as Carmen tipped her large red hat towards Hue.

"Three moves." She said with a smirk that was equally confident and condescending.

"This match will be over in three moves."

Hue didn't have a hat to tip like that, but her adjusted his glasses with his left hand.  
"We'll see." He replied.

"Coordinators!" The announcer called out. "Send out your pokemon!"

"Go!" Carmen yelled. "Flareon and Pidgeot!"

"Go!" Hue yelled. "Espella and Gumshoe!"

"It looks like this match will be Flareon and Pidgeot VS Espeon and Arcanine!" The announcer exclaimed. "Battle, Start!"

The audience applauded.

Carmen's confident replace was instantly replaced by one of mild anger.

"Swanson...do you remember who gave you your Growlithe and what he symbolized?" She asked.

"Gumshoe's my proof of being involved with the Police Department, right?"

"Not anymore." Carmen said. "Evolving your Police Pokemon without permission is a fireable offence. I'd like to retract my three move statement."

She pulled one of her black gloved hands out of her red trenchcoat and pointed at Hue.

"Instead, You'll be going down in just One!"

A small keystone began to glow and the tiny anklet around Carmen's Pidgeot began to resonate with it.

 _She's bringing out a Mega Evolution here and now? Against_ me _?_

"Pidgeooottt!" The much larger, and more anime-haired, Mega Pidgeot cawed.

"Pidgeot!" Carmen announced. "Use Hurricane!"

"Gumshoe!" Hue called to his Arcanine. "Use Dig to get out of there!"

"Arrrrcanine!" Gumshoe barked as he quickly dug under the stage, but a large blast of wind was still hurtling towards Espella.

"Espella!" Hue called out. "Use Swift to try and counter it!"

"Espeeooonnn!" Espella shot out various stars, and while some hit Carmen's Flareon, and caused her points to decrease, most of the Swift stars were blown away by the immense force of the Mega Pidgeot's Hurricane. And Hue's points bar dwindled even further than Carmen's had.

"This isn't good.." He said as Espella braced through what was left of the Hurricane attack, which was still far more than what Hue was comfortable with Espella having to put up with.

She was knocked back to practically the edge of the stage, but she landed with ease.

"Espella, Morning Sun!" Hue announced.

"Espeon!" Espella began to bask in the sunlight shining through the skylights of the Contest Hall.

"Pidgeot!" Carmen ordered "Use Air Slash!"

"Pidgeooooootttttt!" The Mega Pidgeot shot the most powerful Air Slash Hue had ever seen at Espella.

"Gumshoe!" Hue called. "Now!"

"Arrr….Caniiiinnneee!" Gumshoe bounded out of the ground from under the flareon and tackled it up into the air and into the Mega Pidgeot, managing to knock the pokemon off balance.

"Espella!" Hue called out. "It didn't aim properly, dodge the Air Slash, you can do it!"

"Espeon!" Espella gracefully dodged out of the Air Slash's way and the attack hit the wall of the Contest Hall, creating a large dent.

Carmen's points dropped further before Gumshoe and her Flareon began to descend back to the ground.

"Now Gumshoe!" Hue called the second his Arcanine's feet hit the floor. "Extremespeed that Flareon!"

"Arcanine!" Gumshoe rushed Carmen's Flareon before she even had a chance to react.

The poor pokemon was unable to get back up before it lost consciousness.

"Flareon is unable to battle!" The announcer exclaimed. "That means the winner is Hue! Hue wins the Viridian Contest as well as the fifth ribbon he needs to compete in the Grand Festival!"

Hue took the ribbon, and shook Carmen's hand, and bowed to the audience with his pokemon, and did everything he normally did when he won a contest, but he wasn't as happy as he thought he would be.

And when Carmen came up to him outside after it was all over, she only made it worse.

She held out her hand.

"Give him to me." She said. "I understand that you made a mistake, but I can't just let you go evolving Police Department property like that. The reason we even use Growlithe in the first place is so that we can give evolution as a reward to officers who do their duty well."

"Can't...can't you make an exception for me though?" Hue asked as he obeyed Carmen anyway, because he didn't want to get arrested for any of this.

"I mean, haven't I performed well?"

"From what _I_ 've seen…" Carmen said. "You still have a way to go before I can give you _this_ kind of responsibility."

Gumshoe left the Pokeball on his own.

"Niiinee…." He whined as he approached Hue.

"I'm…I'm sorry buddy." Hue said trying his best not to shed tears, and failing. "I screwed up. I was so excited to see you evolve that I forgot you technically aren't my pokemon."

"Arrrr…" Gumshoe rested his head on Hue's shoulder and put one of his front paws around Hue's back.

"I know…" Hue hugged what was no longer his pokemon back. "I love you too, buddy."

Carmen looked down at the ground.  
"I really am sorry about this." She said. "But the police have a standard to uphold."

Hue wanted to yell at her.

He wanted to curse her.

He wanted to remind her that her very father played a part in forming Neo Team Rocket and that any standards the police had were absolute Tauros shit.

But he didn't.

Because he knew that it was his carelessness that caused this dilemma.

He at least knew Gumshoe was safe with Carmen.

Even after Carmen returned Gumshoe to his pokeball, Hue was still trying to hug his pokemon.

"I'll let you see him again when we meet up at the Grand Festival." Carmen said as she sent out her Pidgeot, Mega-Evolved it, and hopped on.

"I'm off to Fuschia for my last Ribbon." And she flew away.

Hue had not heard her.

He was too busy thinking of how much better he might have been feeling right now if he had only avoided evolving his Growlithe for just a little while longer.

"I'm...sorry…" Saki put a hand on Hue's shoulder.

"You used the Fire Stone to make me happy and-"

"Don't worry about it." Hue brushed her hand off his shoulder. "This was my mistake, and my mistake alone."

Saki brushed her feet in the dust on the ground.

"Do you want to be the first one to battle the Viridian Gym Leader?" She asked. "I bet that will take your mind off of it…"

"Yeah...Just let me make some changes to my team at the Pokemon Center first. I want to go into this as prepared as I can possibly be."

*One Trip to the Pokemon Center and jog to the Gym Later*

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" Hue was about to pull the hairs out of his head.

"She's _still_ not in the gym? Look, I get that Ethel's mother must be a busy woman, but it's already May! The Pokemon League Tournament is approaching faster than you think and Viridian City is the first stop on the way to the Indigo Plateau… You'd think she'd realize that there are plenty of trainers looking for battles!"

"Yeah…." Saki bit her nail and looked away.

"It is a little strange that she's still not here. And I don't think either one of us can get in touch with Ethel's father and just casually ask the Champion to pose as a Gym Leader for a battle or two."

As soon as Saki said 'battle' something clicked in Hue's mind.

 _Battle…_

 _Pose as Gym Leader…_

 _Hmm…._

Hue took out his pokedex.

"What are you doing?" Saki asked.

Hue held out a finger telling her to be quiet.

She crossed her arms, blew some of her wavy black hair out of her eye, and pouted as she looked away. "I just wanted to know what you were doing…" She mumbled.

Hue rolled his eyes at her continuous chatter when he finally heard the 'click' he'd been waiting for.

"Hello...Huey?" Ethel asked. Her monotone voice over the phone really did make her feel like some kind of robot. "Why are you calling?"

"Hey, Ethel…" Hue said. "It was a shame I didn't get a chance to talk to you after the Contest…"

"Congratulations on winning." She said. "Perhaps we'll compete against each other in the Grand Festival. Anyways, is there something you wanted to talk about?"

"Sort of." Hue answered. "You remember how I won a favor from you during our first battle?"

Saki's eyes widened as she began to quickly shake her head at Hue, as though this was his worst idea ever.

"Yes…" Ethel replied.

"Well…" Hue said despite Saki's silent but frantic protests.

"I think I'd finally like to cash it."


	71. Emotions of The Earth!

Hue took out his pokedex.

"What are you doing?" Saki asked.

Hue held out a finger telling her to be quiet.

She crossed her arms, blew some of her wavy black hair out of her eye, and pouted as she looked away. "I just wanted to know what you were doing…" She mumbled.

Hue rolled his eyes at her continuous chatter when he finally heard the 'click' he'd been waiting for.

"Hello...Huey?" Ethel asked. Her monotone voice over the phone really did make her feel like some kind of robot. "Why are you calling?"

"Hey, Ethel…" Hue said. "It was a shame I didn't get a chance to talk to you after the Contest…"

"Congratulations on winning." She said. "Perhaps we'll compete against each other in the Grand Festival. Anyways, is there something you wanted to talk about?"

"Sort of." Hue answered. "You remember how I won a favor from you during our first battle?"

Saki's eyes widened as she began to quickly shake her head at Hue, as though this was his worst idea ever.

"Yes…" Ethel replied.

"Well…" Hue said despite Saki's silent but frantic protests.

"I think I'd finally like to cash it."

Chapter 71:

Emotions of The Earth!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Water Pulse, Skull Bash, Iron Defense, Rain Dance

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Icicle Crash, Shell Smash

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Helping Hand

Venus(Victreebel): Leaf Blade, Stockpile, Swallow, Sludge Bomb

Ace(Pidgeot): Roost, Twister, Wing Attack, Feather Dance

Bruce(Hitmonlee): Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

Within less than a minute, Ethel was walking up the steps towards the Gym.

She was doing her best to look dignified, but the amount of sweat on her face did little to hide the fact that she had been running at a fast pace until very recently.

"Are you sure you want me to do this?" Ethel asked.

"No…" Saki mumbled under her breath.

"You hush." Hue said to Saki as he turned back to Ethel.

"Yes. I'm sure. I remember people saying something to the effect that you sometimes take over for your parents as Gym Leader and that you would be legally able to hand out a badge should someone defeat you in a Gym Battle…"

"Well...yes…" Ethel replied. "But Huey….The Earthbadge is the only badge you still need, isn't it?"

"Y-yes…" Hue said, confused. "Is that a bad thing?"

"If you're trying for your eighth and final badge…" Ethel said. "Then I'll have to use some really tough opponents…"

And for the first moment since Hue had met her, Ethel boasted.

"And I've never had one of my pets in this gym faint in battle. I intend to keep it that way."

"Good." Hue replied. "That means you'll give me the battle I asked for?"

"If it's what you want to use that favor for…" Ethel gave a sigh as she twirled her necklace around her neck to reveal a silver key, likely for the Gym doors.

She turned to look back at Hue and Saki.

"Once we're inside…" She said. "I want you, _both_ of you, to follow me and to not wander off, no matter how tempting it may be to explore. Can you promise me that."

"Sure." Hue shrugged.  
Saki bit her nail and looked away.

"Fine." She said bluntly.

With the reassurance that they wouldn't wander off, Ethel turned to the Gym Doors and unlocked them.

As she opened the doors to the Gym, three employees, all dressed in black uniforms, sunglasses and gloves that reminded Hue of some sort of secret service bowed to her as she entered.  
"Welcome back, Young Miss!" They all chanted in unison.

Then, they did it again.

"Welcome back, Young Miss!"

The man closest to the door stood up.

"Who is it you have brought home, Young Miss?" He asked Ethel as he eyed Hue suspiciously.

"Oh...um…" Ethel looked at Hue and then back at the man, and then began to attempt to stroke her long white hair nervously. She was wearing her hair down so wasn't in a ponytail, and thus was harder for her to move it between her shoulders, but she still managed to accomplish it.

"Huey might be...my...um...boyfriend?"

She asked it as though it was a question.

Hue could feel his face go red with embarrassment.

The man was taken aback with surprise.

"The Young Miss has acquired a boyfriend on her travels?"

The stoic demeanor Hue had assumed was this man's norm was instantly replaced by a more frantic personality as he and the other men dressed in black began to run around fanning their hands in front of their faces.

"Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh...The Young Miss is in a romance, oh, what, when, where, and how shall we tell Master Ross? He's going to be so _excited_ …."

The man hurried to Hue and began to shake his hand feverishly like Hue had just won some sort of lottery.

"Congratulations Young Master!" The man congratulated him.

"Y-Young Master?" Hue asked nervously.

"Of course!" The man said. "Allow me to introduce myself and my colleagues. I am Cedric, and these two are Wilson and Piers."

He grabbed Hue's hand and began to take him towards a door off to the side. Through the window, Hue could see what looked like some sort of gigantic rock suspended from the ceiling. "Come, come, we must take you on a tour of your new abode!"

 _My new abode?!_

"C-Cedric...s-stop it…" Ethel said timidly. "You're making him nervous…"

Cedric released his grasp of Hue's hand.

"Apologies, Young Miss." He bowed. "I suppose there will be plenty of time for a tour later. To what do I owe the pleasure of your return?"

"I want you to referee a battle."

"You know I don't mind, Young Miss…" Cedric said. "But you already have a third person who could ref-"

"No, no no…" Ethel shook her head.

She put her fingers in her mouth and gave a whistle.

Hue felt the entire building shake as a Sandslash, Rhyhorn, Steelix, Nidoking, and a Golem all ran through a large door and into the entrance hall where they centered around Ethel excitedly.

"I want you to referee a _Gym_ battle…"

"I'd thought the Young Miss would want her boyfriend to battle her stepmother rather than herself…" Cedric said.

"Oh, I um...I requested the battle be with her." Hue said in Ethel's defense. "You see, I only need the Earthbadge before-"

"Say no more, Young Master!" Cedric gave an eager bow. "It will be my pleasure to fulfill your first request!"

He turned to Wilson and Piers. "Piers, Wilson, please go fetch my good flags and bring them to the Gym Room!"

"Of course." Both Piers and Wilson said at the same time as they walked in perfect synchronization towards the room with the large rock hanging from the ceiling in it.

Cedric turned to Hue.

"If you would follow me, I'll show you to the Battle Room."

He turned to Ethel.

"Young Miss, I will allow you to get ready and decide on the battle style in privacy. Please take the Leader's position when you are ready."

"Thank you very much, Cedric." Ethel nodded in her monotone voice.

She looked at Hue. "I'll give this battle my all, so please do not hold back."

And before Hue could say anything, she returned her plethora of Ground-Type pokemon and left through a small door labelled "Leader's Entrance"

A few minutes later, everyone reconvened in the actual Battle Room. It looked fairly standard. There was a standard dirt battlefield spanning the room, and Saki and Karakara were sitting on the bleachers off the room's side. Hue wondered why this gym's battlefield was so uninspired but instead chose to focus on what mattered.

The Battle itself.

"This Battle…" Ethel said as she grabbed a single pokeball.

"Is going to be a Full Battle, following Indigo League Tournament rules. Neither side may substitute their pokemon. If you return your pokemon you are removing it from the battle entirely. In addition…"

Ethel held the pokeball she was holding out.  
"I, the acting Gym Leader, will only use this One Pokemon. You, however, as the challenger, are allowed to use your entire Party. The match will be over when all of one side's pokemon are no longer able to battle. Do you accept these terms?"

"Huey, that isn't bravado!" Saki called from the bleachers. "Ethel's Gym Pokemon really _are_ that strong!"

Hue gulped.

"Alright then…" He said to Ethel. "I accept…"

"The match between Hubert Swanson, the challenger, and Ethel Ross, the Gym Leader, will now begin!" Cedric announced.

"This will be a 6 on 1 Full Battle following Indigo League Tournament rules! Neither side may substitute pokemon. The match will be over when all of one side's pokemon are no longer able to battle. Trainers, send out your pokemon!"

"Go!" Hue called out.

 _I might as well start strong…_

"Douglas!"

"Blastoise!" Douglas pounded his chest, ready for a fight.

"Go!" Ethel announced as she tossed her pokeball. "Haganeil!" She called out.

 _A name? I guess she might name her pets, but it still caught me off guard..._

"Steeeellix…" Haganeil the Steelix...purred? It sounded like it was some sort of purr.

Hue's eyes widened.

 _Wait a minute...didn't that Steelix belong to-?_

He looked over at Saki.

She bit her nail and looked away.

"It appears this match will start out as Blastoise VS Steelix!"

"[Steelix]" Dean informed Hue. "The [Iron Snake] Pokemon. Strengthened by the pressure and intense heat of living underground, its body is stronger than steel and harder than diamonds."

"Oh dear lord…" Hue finally realized what he had gotten himself into.

"Battle, Start!" Cedric shouted.

"Now, Hubert Swanson." Ethel said as formally as possible.

"I shall fulfil my promise to you and not hold anything back!"

She had that determined look in her eyes that Hue had remembered seeing back when they had their full battle in Fuschia City. She pointed directly at him, as Haganeil pointed his tail directly at Douglas.

"En garde!" She announced.

ETHEL VS HUE

"Douglas!" Hue called out. "Use Water Pulse!"

"Blastoise!" Douglas shot out a Water Pulse from his cannons towards Haganeil.

"Haganeil!" Ethel ordered stoically. "Thunder Fang them."

"Steeeeelllll!" The Steelix's jaws began to generate electricity and it bit down on the Water Pulse, causing water to go everywhere.

The Steelix itself looked undisturbed.

"Hngh…" Hue grunted.

 _That...can't bode well…_

"Haganeil!" Ethel announced. "Use Iron Tail!"

"Douglas!" Hue shouted. "Use Iron Defense!"

"Blaassss!" Douglas coated himself in Iron and dug his feet into the ground.

"Were you not paying attention?" Ethel asked.  
"Steeeelix!" Haganeil's tail slammed into Douglas, sending the Blastoise flying towards the back wall of the gym.

"Douglas!" Hue called out.

"Toiiisee…" Douglas weakly managed to get back up onto his two feet.

He was cloaked in a blue hue.

 _Torrent already? From one Iron Tail?_

"Blasss…" He panted heavily.

"W-Water Pulse!" Hue called out again.  
"Toiseeee!" Douglas shouted as he shot another Water Pulse towards Haganeil.

"Dodge it." Ethel said, not worried in the slightest.

"Steeelix…" Haganeil slithered around the Water Pulse attack and up to Douglas.

"Thunder Fang!" Ethel called out.

Within no time at all, Haganeil bit down on Douglas and the Blastoise fell to the ground.

"Blastoise is unable to battle!" Cedric called out.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Hue exclaimed.

"Huey, I told you it was a bad idea!" Saki shouted from the bleachers.

"There was a _reason_ everyone was staring at Ethel during our battle way back when we arrived in Viridian for the first time!"

"Send out your next pokemon, Young Master…" Cedric said, growing impatient. "Or I'll have to declare Young Miss the victor…"

Hue looked at Ethel, who had an expressionless face save for the determination present in her eyes. Hue could tell that she really was giving this battle her all.

"Young Master-" Cedric reminded him.

"All right, All right…" Hue said, feeling incredibly rushed.

"Go! Venus!"

"Victreebel!" Venus announced as she looked at the large Steelix.

She looked back to Hue and then back at the Steelix, eager to fight.

"Venus!" Hue announced. "Use Leaf Blade."

"Haganeil!" Ethel announced. "Iron Tail!"

Within no time, Venus was down on the ground.

"Victreebel is unable to battle!" Cedric announced.

Hue grunted again.

How the hell was he supposed to beat this thing?

"Remember, Hubert." Ethel was still speaking formally. "What I said to you the first time we met."

Hue sent out Arthur.

"Use, Psycho Cut!" He called out.

Arthur shot a Psycho Cut at Haganeil, but the Steelix dodged easily.

"I told you that your strategy of researching your opponents was a flawed one."

She turned to Haganeil. "Use Earthquake."

"Steeeelix!" Haganeil shook the entire battlefield as chunks of ground split apart and fused together and caught Arthur in the crossfire.

He dropped to a knee, before standing back up.

"Use, Iron Tail." Ethel said to Haganeil.

"Arhtur, dodge it with Swords Dance!" Hue called out desperately.

As Haganeil launched his long tail towards Arthur, the Gallade danced around the attack.

"Knowing your opponent's usual strategy does not guarantee that they will use it. If you want to succeed in the Pokemon League Tournament, you have to be able to discern what your opponent is going to do before they do it…"

Arthur continued to dodge Iron Tails from Haganeil as the Steelix slowly surrounded his opponent in a coil.

"And then to adapt your own strategy so that you can hit them when they least expect it."

Ethel finished as Arthur dodged one last Iron Tail to realize he and Haganeil were no face to face.

"Thunder Fang." Ethel announced.

"Arthur!" Hue yelled right away. "Use Night Slash on the inside of its mouth!"

"G'lade!" Arthur slashed the inside of Haganeil's mouth with his elbow blade, causing the Steelix to flinch back in pain.

Hue almost thought he saw Ethel smile as Arthur jumped back to Hue's side.

"Yes…" She encouraged him. "A pokemon battle, contrary to what we may believe, or want, is not about playing fair. It's about showcasing your skill as a trainer and the bond you share with your pokemon. Moves like the one you just used can be seen as ruthless or cruel, but they are not. They are pokemon moves, and you are a pokemon trainer, fulfilling your duty in the symbiosis that is pokemon and people. In order to truly understand the work of not art, but of nature, that is a pokemon battle...you must learn to empathize with your partners on the battlefield. Their worry must be your worry. Their pain must be your pain. And when they fall…"

"Steelix!" Haganeil roared as another Earthquake knocked Arthur off balance, and he fell to the ground.

"Gallade is unable to battle!" Cedric announced.

"You, too, must feel their sting of defeat." Ethel continued. "By continuously attuning yourself to the feelings of your own pokemon, you can eventually branch off, and attune yourself to the feelings of _other_ pokemon, and perhaps even their trainers. With enough empathy, you might even be able to pick up on hidden emotions in other people's hearts. This is the lesson that I, when I am acting as a Gym Leader, have always taught my opponents, and you are no exception."

"Go!" Hue called out. "Bruce!"

"Hitmonlee!" Bruce announced as he poised himself in a battle-ready position.

"Come now Hue Swanson!" Ethel said in a challenging manner. "Show me how your heart beats!"

"High Jump Kick!" Hue called out.

"Hitmolee!" Bruce jumped up into the air and came descending back down towards Haganeil.

"Haganeil!" Ethel called to her Steelix. "Dragon Tail!"

The two pokemon collided, and Bruce managed to push Haganeil back a bit, before instantly returning to his pokeball, leaving Hue absolutely stunned.

"The fuck was that?" He asked as he held Dean up.

"[Dragon Tail]." Dean stated. "A [Dragon] Type Move. The user knocks away the target and drags out another pokemon in its party. In the wild, the battle would end."

"Hitmonlee has been removed from the battle!" Cedric ruled.

 _You've gotta be kidding me!_

"Cloyster?" Cooper asked, confused, as he came out of his pokeball.

 _I'm down to my last two pokemon, and I've only managed to land two successful hits on this thing!_

"Haganeil!" Ethel ordered. "Thunder Fang!"

"Steeel!" Haganeil charged up his massive jaws again.  
"Cooper!" Hue yelled. "Use Spike Cannon to propel yourself out of the way! Aim for inside Haganeil's mouth!"

"Cloyster!Ter!Ter!Ter!" Cooper shot four large spikes towards Haganeil's electrified mouth.

Haganeil bit down on each of the spikes before swallowing what he had collected.

"Not a bad plan…" Ethel applauded in her monotone voice. "But I hope you didn't expect that the same trick would work twice…"

 _So she wasn't kidding when she said I needed to continuously be adapting my strategy…_

"Alright Cooper!" Hue announced. "Shell Smash, let's go!"

"Cloyster!" Cooper announced as he smashed his shell on the ground and began to propel himself around the land much more quickly.

"Icicle Crash! Trap that Steelix's tail in place!"

"A worthy endeavor…" Ethel smiled as an icicled Cooper launched himself towards the Steelix's tail. "I'll meet you halfway."

Ethel didn't even need to speak.

Haganeil's tail shined metallically as he launched an Iron Tail attack towards Cooper.

Just as Ethel predicted, the attacks met halfway,

And Cooper was thrown towards the wall of the Gym.

"Cloyster is unable to battle!" Cedric announced. "Both parties are down to their last pokemon."

"Huey!" Saki called from the bleachers. "You can't directly attack Haganeil like that! He's been trained in a way that you won't be able to defeat him conventionally!"

Wondering how the hell Saki could know something like that, Hue gripped his last pokeball tightly.

"You're all I have left, Ace…" He told his Pidgeot. "Let's do our best together okay?"

The pokeball wiggled a bit.

Hue threw it.

"Go! Ace!" He called out.

"Pidgeot!" Ace cawed as she took to the air.

Normally, she'd be floating far above the pokemon, but in a room that was only one story high, the over thirty foot Steelix that Ace was facing still had her within reach.

"Now, Thunder Fang!" Ethel announced.

Haganeil charged up his jaw again as he lunged for Ace.

"Dodge, and Feather Dance!" Hue called out.

Ace quickly flew out of the way of the diving Steelix, and began to cover him in a flurry of down feathers.

"Iron Tail!" Ethel called.

Haganeil struck Ace from behind with an Iron Tail, slamming the bird towards the ground.

"Ace, use Roost to land and regain some health!" Hue called out.

"Pidgeot!" Ace used her superior speed to avoid a crash landing and gently roosted on the ground as the very visible bruise from the Iron Tail began to heal.

A glint appeared in Ethel's eyes.

"If you're roosted, we'll use Earthquake!"

"Ace!" Hue called out "Use Feather Dance to keep balance!"

"Pidgeot!" Ace was having trouble doing as she had been told, but managed to avoid any real damage.

"If only we could use a move like Earthquake…" Hue lamented.

Ace looked at Hue, and nodded.

"Piiiii….ddddggggeeeeeeee….ooooootttttt!" She cawed as a large circular mirror appeared in front of her, and the ground began to rumble again."

"S-Steelix!" Haganeil exclaimed in surprise as he got caught up in what was clearly his own Earthquake attack reflected back at him.

Ethel bit her lip. "Well now...that's one way…"

"W-what the-?" Hue brought Dean up.

"[Mirror Move]." Dean announced. "A [Flying] Type Move. The user counters the target by mimicking the target's last move."

 _Ace, you're my rock, err, bird, girl…_

"Haganeil!" Ethel called out. "You good to go?"

"Steeelixxx…" Haganeil wheezed as he burrowed out of the Earthquake attack and nodded.

"Then I say it's time we stopped playing around and ended this with a Dragon Tail!"

"Ace!" Hue yelled. "Dodge it!"

Ace flew out of the area _fast_ as Haganeil slammed his tail down on where she had just been, creating a large cloud of dust.

"Now, Mirror Move!" Hue ordered.

Again, a large circular mirror appeared in front of Ace before her own tail started to give of an indigo glow and she slammed it into the back of Haganeil's head.

"Steel-?" Haganeil asked before he was sent back into Ethel's pokeball, and Ethel's Gardevoir was sent out in his place.

"Gardevoir?" Gardevoir looked around confused. Ace landed gently on the ground, gave a humongous sigh, and began to peck at her wings.

"Ahhh-" Cedric was taken aback.

"I-It appears….that the Young Miss's Steelix has been removed from the battle…Which means...that the winner is Pidgeot...so...Ace and Young Master are the victors..."

"Huey…" Saki ran up to him as Ethel got the Earthbadge ready.

"Huey, how are you feeling right now? Are you okay, do you need to rest?"

"Did I...Did I really win?" Hue asked in disbelief.

"Well…" Saki bit her nail. " _Win_ might not be the best way to put it."

"Before I give you this eighth badge…" Ethel said as she approached Hue. "I would like to hear your opinion on that battle. Complete honesty and nothing less please."

"Well…" Hue thought about it. "It was a lot tougher than I thought it would be...and I never expected you would be able to hold your own against my entire party with just one pokemon…"

"Tell me Hubert...if you had to choose, who would you say you defeated, me? Or my Steelix?"

"Hm…" Hue thought about it. "I don't really feel like I 'defeated' either of you…" He finally answered.

Ethel seemed pleasantly surprised.

"Yet you're receiving the badge. Why do you think that is?" Before Hue could ponder the question, Ethel answered for him. "It's because, while you might not have truly 'defeated' anyone, you still _won_. You made use of your opponent's moves and rules. You were able to ascertain your familiar opponent's new strategy and adapt your battle style accordingly. _That_ is why you won and why you are receiving your eighth and final badge."

"And I just realized something…" Saki pointed out as Ethel handed Hue the Earthbadge.

"Technically Ethel, your no-faint streak is still intact. Huey didn't really _defeat_ Haganeil after all."

"And damn, Ethel…" Hue gave out a relieved laugh. "I thought it might have been hyperbole, but if you own a pokemon like Haganeil, I guess the rumors about your pokemon never fainting in gym battles are true…"

Ethel looked down at the ground with a bashful smile.

"Thank you…" She said. She lifted her head back up and looked at Hue and Saki. "So, would you like a tour now?"

Saki and Hue looked at each other and nodded.

"Excellent!" Cedric said as he hurried towards the door. "Come Young Miss, Come Young Miss, Young Master,"

 _He repeated 'Young Miss' again... Is Ethel really that important here?_

"I shall show you the dining quarters first-" He began when a jingling sound was heard.

"What was that?" Hue asked.

A door creaked open.

"Oh no…" Saki bit her nail and looked around nervously.

"Ah…" Ethel said. "That must be my stepmother returning."

"Welcome home, Lady Ross!" both Wilson and Piers could be heard saying.

"Yeah yeah…" A voice all too familiar to Hue scoffed at them. "Now get back to cleaning that living room. It's an absolute wreck from Andle's last 'poker night'.

"Yes Lady Ross!" Piers and Wilson both walked off.

The sound of footsteps coming closer to the door got louder and louder until they finally stopped.

Hue could see her silhouette behind the doorframe.

She opened the door to the room, and stopped short at the sight of Ethel, Hue, and Saki all standing together.

"W-Welcome home, Lady Ross!" Cedric bowed.

"Thank you Cedric. Now go help your colleagues…" Lady Ross said.

She turned to Ethel.

"Hello Ethel. I did not expect you to be home."

"I'm sorry, stepmother." Ethel gave a bow. "I was acting as Gym Leader for this challenger here." She gestured to Hue. "He managed to earn his Earthbadge off of me."

"Then you weren't hard enough on him." Lady Ross's green, piercing eyes squinted at Hue, before turning directly to Saki.

"Hello again, _Saki._ " She said as though she knew that Saki wanted to masquerade as 'Aura' but was completely ignoring it.

Saki's face turned extremely serious. She looked almost angry even.

"Hello again, Aunt Regalia." Saki replied.


	72. Blood Battle

Chapter 72:

Blood Battle

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Water Pulse, Skull Bash, Iron Defense, Rain Dance

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Icicle Crash, Shell Smash

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Helping Hand

Venus(Victreebel): Leaf Blade, Stockpile, Swallow, Sludge Bomb

Ace(Pidgeot): Roost, Wing Attack, Feather Dance, Mirror Move

Bruce(Hitmonlee): Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

"Wait a minute…" Hue massaged his temples.

" _Aunt_ Regalia?"

"You act like this came as a surprise…" Regalia Ross crossed her arms and squinted her dark green eyes. "I'd thought the family resemblance was fairly obvious…"

"I'm not surprised at _that_ …" Hue clarified.

He cleared his throat. "I mean…" He turned to Saki. "You told me that you and your brother were sent to live with your aunt and cousin but that would mean that-"

He turned to Ethel.

"The two of you are-..."

"Legally speaking…" Saki sighed. "Ethel and I are cousins."

 _So this is where the animosity between the two of them comes from…_ Hue thought to himself. _Ethel is part of the family that threw Saki and Junzo out...But that doesn't seem like her or her father at all...They're both really nice people..._

 _That just leaves…._ Hue looked over to Regalia _...Her..._

Regalia's eyes squinted further at Saki.

"Saki." She said sternly. "You have a lot of explaining to do."

"She shouldn't have to explain anything to you…" Hue stepped up before he knew what he was saying. "You're the one that wouldn't let her or her brother into the family."

Regalia's dagger shooting eyes drifted towards Hue.

"I don't know who you heard _that_ from…" Regalia said, knowing full well that it was what Saki had told him. "But you might be surprised to hear that _my_ version of events is slightly different than those of my niece, who probably doesn't really remember the real reason she and her brother were living like hobos in the first place."

Saki bit her nail and looked away with an angry look on her face.

"My sister, Akane-" Regalia began to tell the story, when she was interrupted by the sound of the door opening a second time.

"Welcome Home, Master Ross!" The secret service looking men all addressed in unison before Andle Ross burst through the door, to notice Hue, Regalia, Saki, and Ethel all standing around looking at each other.

"Oh my…" He said as he pushed his own sunglasses closer to his face.

"This _is_ unfortunate…"

"You weren't expecting me home, _were_ you Andle?" Regalia gave a cold stare.

For some reason, Hue didn't feel like the marriage he was looking at was a happy one.

"I had expected you would be challenging the Elite 4 again to regain your Indigo Area Champion status back."

"Well...I came back to the Gym instead when I learned a certain _someone_ had made her way back to Viridian."

Regalia's eyes quickly shot towards Saki before shooting back in Andle's direction.

"Of course you know I'd want to see her again, as well as give her the gym battle she's looking for."

Andle gave a nervous laugh.

"Well, I guess I'll be off then-" He reached for the door.

"Father, wait…" Ethel said in her monotone voice.

Andle's hand stopped, but he didn't turn around to look back at Ethel.

"Is there something I can do for you?" He asked.

Ethel turned to Saki with an almost pleading look in her eyes, and Saki very reluctantly gave a nod.

Ethel turned back to her father. "Saki and I want to battle stepmother together." She said. "And I think you should referee the match."

"It'll have to be a quick one." Andle said as he finally turned around and walked towards the referee's position. "I'm a very busy man this week."

"It'll only be a 2v2 Double Battle." Regalia replied. "And Ethel…"

"Yes, stepmother?"

Regalia held out her hand. "No Pets. I'll only accept you use pokemon you obtained/trained on your journey."

Ethel slowly handed Regalia Haganeil's pokeball among a few others. "Yes, stepmother."

ETHEL AND SAKI VS REGALIA

"The battle between Regalia the Gym Leader, and Ethel and Saki, the challengers, will now begin." Andle said quite formally, and visibly uncomfortable with reffing such a battle, while Hue sat on the bleachers and watched. "This will b Double Battle. The match will be over when all of one side's pokemon are no longer able to battle!"

"So...It's come to this has it?" Regalia asked as Ethel and Saki both stared her down. "The two of you have had me running around all over Kanto and the Sevii Islands looking for you and making sure you weren't getting into trouble. And now you've come back, only to ask for the one badge standing in between you, and the Pokemon League Tournament. For nothing more than your own sakes, I don't intend to let either of you succeed!"

She held out her pokeball in exactly the same way that Ethel had during Hue's gym battle.

"En garde!" Regalia said with a shout.

She tossed out her two pokemon of choice.

"Go, Nidoking, Nidoqueen!"

"Niiidoooo!" The Nidoking roared as he was sent out.

"Niiiidoooo!" The Nidoqueen gave a similar roar as she landed with a thud on the battlefield.

"[Nidoking] and [Nidoqueen]." Dean informed Hue. "Both [Drill] Pokemon. With just one swing, Nidoking's mighty tail can snap a telephone pole as if it were nothing but a matchstick. Nidoqueen has thick skin covering its entire body, protecting it from whatever techniques are used against it."

 _Well, this hardly seems fair…_

"Go!" Ethel sent out the pokemon Hue had expected she would: Her Gardevoir.

Saki, realizing now that there was no reason to keep him continuously hidden, sent out her choice.

"Go, Huey!" She called out.

Hue felt himself blush as the Dragonair appeared out of its pokeball.

"[Dragonair]." Dean stated. "The [Dragon] Pokemon. Legendary pokemon that can make rain or snow fall at its will. It can fly even though it has no wings. Dragonair has the ability to manipulate the elements as it wishes.

Huey and Gardevoir looked at each other and nodded.

"Battle, Start!" Andle called out.

"Nidoking, Nidoqueen!" Regalia called out right away. "Both of you use Earth Power right now!"

"Niiiidoooo!" Both the Nidoking and Nidoqueen roared at the same time as a large amount of flames began to shoot out of the earth beneath Huey and Gardevoir.

"Huey!" Aura shouted. "Get airborne and counter it with Aqua Tail!"

"Gardevoir!" Ethel called out. "Dodge it!"

As the two barked out their orders, both their pokemon obeyed. Gardevoir dodged the Earth Power attack with ease…

Up until she accidently walked straight into the line of fire of Saki's Aqua Tail.

"Gard-!" Gardevoir put a hand to her bruised cheeck as she stood back up from being knocked to the ground.

"Gardevoir!" It shouted at Huey.

"Dragonaiiirrr.." Huey growled back.

"Ethel, keep your Gardevoir out of Huey's way!" Saki snapped.

"Well, communicate where you plan to attack next time and I will!" Ethel snapped back.

 _This isn't going to go well is it?_

"Nidoking!" Regalia called out. "Use Megahorn on Gardevoir!"

"Niiidookinnggg!" The Nidoking's horn glowed brightly as it extended and Nidoking rushed full pace towards Gardevoir.

"Gardevoir!" Ethel retaliated. "Dodge and use Psyshock!"

"Garrddd…" Gardevoir managed to avoid the Nidoking's Megahorn attack, at the cost of Nidoking trampling over Huey's long tail.

"Draagoonaaaiiirrr!" Huey let out a howl of pain.

"What happened to communication?" Saki barked at Ethel.

"How did you not see the Nidoking charging at you?" Ethel replied. "I thought you had enough common sense to avoid it as well!"

"You two are _hopeless_." Regalia said from her Leader's position. "I have never seen two more decidedly incompatible teammates. Your battle styles are too different. If you were ever going to stand a chance against me, You would first need to meet each other's battle styles halfway."

 _That's some good advice for someone who doesn't want her own family to win…_

"Grrr…" Saki growled. "Huey! Dragon Rush!" She yelled. "Hit the Nidoking!"

"Nidoqueen!" Regalia called out as Huey rushed towards the Nidoking, ready to slam himself into his opponent. "Use Body Slam to pin Huey against the wall and protect your partner!"

"Queeen!" Nidoqueen slammed into Huey and pinned him to the wall.

"Gardevoir!" Ethel called out. "While both of them are distracted, use Psychic on the Nidoking!"

"Gardevoir!" Gardevoir began to lift the Nidoking up, before slamming him down into the ground with a large amount of psychic energy.

"You couldn't have gotten the one that was _pinning Huey to a wall_?" Saki asked with attitude.

"You told me to stay out of Huey's way." Ethel replied coldly. "So we'll let you handle that on your own."

"Huey!" Saki said after she gritted her teeth angrily at Ethel.

"Use Agility to get out of there and back into the air!"

"Dragonair!" Huey nodded as he quickly slithered out of the Nidoqueen's grasp and began to float back up into the air again.

"Rain Dance!" Saki called out. "Heavy as it can get!"

Huey did as Saki told him, and instantly a downpour of heavy rain was flooding the room.

"Now, Aqua Tail the Nidoqueen!"

"Dragonair!" Huey charged towards the Nidoqueen with an Aqua Tail attack.

"Superpower!" Regalia called out.

As Huey brought down his tail to attack the Nidoqueen, she let out a massive glowing punch that knocked Huey towards the wall on the opposite end of the room, He fell into the shallow water on the floor that he had created and fainted.

"Dragonair is unable to battle!" Andle called out.

"You've got to be _kidding_ me!" Saki was furious.

"Some help you were!" She threw her hands up at Ethel as she returned Huey, before storming off.

"Saki…" Ethel looked as Saki left the room, and Regalia gave a menacing grin.

"Tag Team, Poison Jab." She said.

The Nidoking and Nidoqueen both moved faster than trucks and shot Poison Jab fists into Gardevoir, who fell into the shallow water shortly after.

"Gardevoir is unable to battle, which makes the winners Nidoking and Nidoqueen, so victory goes to Regalia, the Gym Leader!" Andle announced.

He gave a sad look at Ethel.

"I'm sorry. But I don't have time to stay around for another match."

He gave Hue a slight nod, acknowledging his presence, before he left just as suddenly as he had come.

"I'm disappointed in you, Ethel." Regalia sighed as she returned her two pokemon.

"You used an opening to attack and landed the only true hit against me, but you did so in such a personal way that any hope of reconciling with your teammate was lost, and thus, your battle met such a tragic end. Even after I told you to meet in a middle ground."

"But _she-_ " Ethel pointed out the door that Saki had left from.

"No 'buts'!" Regalia snapped. "I don't care how unfair she was being, or how selfish, or how in your way she was! I expected more out of you than to stoop to the level I saw you at in that battle! You're going to go find Saki, apologize, practice your teamwork, and then come back and challenge me again once you can prove that you can work with others, even if you don't like them."

Ethel hung her head low.

"Yes...stepmother…" She mumbled before returning Gardevoir and running off.

Regalia stepped through the water to Hue.

"And you…" She was shooting daggers again. "How dare you think you can lie to me about Saki's whereabouts!"

"She told me to!" Hue raised his hands to signal a surrender. "She wants to go by Aura publicly so-"

" _Dammit_!" Regalia stomped and water splashed up everywhere. "She's only playing into his trap, how does she not _see_ that?"

Hue stood up.

"She is?" He asked, instantly concerned. He was about to make a beeline for the door when Regalia stopped him.

"Hold on there, hero." She said sarcastically.

"I still need to tell you my side of that story."

"The abandonment story?" Hue asked bitterly.

"It wasn't-!" Regalia shot her hand up and for a minute, Hue thought she was going to slap him, but she gently brought the hand back down with a large sigh.

"It wasn't like that…" She said. "My twin sister Akane…" Regalia began again.

"She...She was...how do I put it? I guess I'll say that she was a _unique_ individual."

"Bipolar Depression…" Hue mumbled to himself remembering what PJ had said.

"How did-?" Regalia's eyes squinted at Hue curiously before she dismissed whatever concern she had.

"Anyways…" She continued. "You're right. So you are probably familiar with the fact that if one member of the family has it, it isn't rare for _another_ family member to have it."

"Are you saying that…" Hue began. "Are you saying that Saki has Bipolar Depression?" He asked nervously.

"Saki? I don't know about Saki." Regalia said. "The truth is that I'm talking about... myself."

She took out a small bottle.

"These are antidepressants. One of many medications that I need to take daily. Here's the thing though...they need to be kept away from anyone younger that a full adult, or they may increase the risk of-"

"Suicidal behavior…" Hue answered, realizing where this story was going.

"That's right." Regalia nodded. "And who do you think found where I kept my pills on their very first day living here?"

"It was Junzo wasn't it?" Hue guessed correctly as Regalia nodded.

"Luckily, I managed to catch him before he took any, but I realized that there was nowhere I'd be able to safely hide them in the house with him around, so I started to make some calls. The very first call I made was to your father, Gordon Swanson. He and I were…"

Regalia stopped herself. "Well, that probably doesn't matter." She shook her head. "In any case, I called him and asked if he would be the caretaker of some kids, since he and his wife were doing very well raising their firstborn child so far."

"What did he say?" Hue asked, wondering what sort of relationship Regalia Ross, former Champion of the Indigo Area, could have possibly had with his father.

"I don't know." Regalia admitted. "Because I quickly hung up the phone when I noticed that Junzo had been listening in. He must have taken it the wrong way. He took his baby sister, some of the bottles of formula that we were still giving to Ethel at the time, and simply ran away. When I finally found the two of them, Junzo insisted that he would raise Saki himself if he had to and that they weren't going to move again. I gave him a joke about how he might not step into the Gym ever again, but he must have taken that as a threat instead, because he really never stepped into the gym again. As time passed, Ethel and Andle would play along with Junzo's created situation, pretending to be sneaking out food that I had made for him and Saki, wishing that they could come back to the Gym, painting me as some self-centered shrew of a woman, just so Junzo's world wouldn't crumble again."

Hue nodded as he followed the story. He had a feeling he knew how it would end.

"Then...one day...around the anniversary of Akane and Izaya's...departure…" Regalia continued. "Ethel noticed that Junzo was feeling sad, so she, being the clever and associative girl, however naive, that she was, she found my antidepressants and handed the bottle to Junzo. I assume you already know what happens next."

"Saki finds Junzo face down in the lake in the south of the town." Hue nodded. "And brings him to the pokemon center, where she meets Helen Lang, and the two start to hang around her. Yeah, I know the rest of that story already."

"So?" Regalia asked. "Go ahead. Call me secluded, or incompetent or whatever insult you want to throw at me. I don't care. I did what I thought was the right thing, and bad luck bit me in the butt."

Hue did laugh, but not for the reasons Regalia had said.

Hue was laughing for a different reason.

"You know, the way both Ethel and Saki talk about you, and the way you act in general, makes it really clear that you aren't the best when it comes to talking to kids…"

"Yeah, I've heard that all before…" Regalia said.

"But-" Hue continued. "I think they're distaste for you is misplaced Mrs. Ross. You might not be good with talking to kids directly, but I think you'd have made a great mother through the actions you took and intentions you had. If you were my mother, I'd be proud."

"It's going to look like I'm wiping a tear from my eye…" Regalia sniffled. "But that's not what's happening. Thank you Hubert, that was very nice of you to say. Now, I'm sure there are two very angry girls somewhere that need you to help stop them from fighting each other. Go find them and bring them back here for a battle later this week."

"R-right." Hue nodded with a surprised smile before he exited the door.

Hue found Saki sitting outside the back of the pokemon center.

"Saki, there you are!" He gave a sigh of relief. "How are you feeling?"

"Awful…" Saki moaned as she put her hands over her stomach.

Without so much as another word, Hue was instantly digging through his bag for some of the cream that the Professor had given him.

Saki was clearly in pain there, and Hue knew how much of a burden that could be on the one experiencing said pain.

He finally found a small dose.

"Lift your shirt up." He said. "Let me see the wound."

Saki slowly lifted her top, exposing the familiar circular green wound.

"Now, this might sting a little at first-" Hue said as he gently applied the cream to Saki's stomach.

She reflexively twitched, before relaxing.

"Okay...thank you…" She said, realizing what was going on.

"But...you won't have enough for you now…"

"I'll be fine." Hue shook his head with a smile. "I'm not as reckless as you are. I can hardly imagine how often you might have been putting up with Aura. That's the name you gave the pokemon inside you, right?"

Saki nodded. "And Junzo named his PJ, but it stood for Phineas Jones."

"And do you know what it is?" Hue asked.

Saki shook her head, before she brought her arm up to her forehead.

Hue took out some more of the cream.

"Move your hand."

"But you'll run out at this rate!"

"You're the one in pain right now, not me." Hue said. "Move your hand."

Saki reluctantly moved her hand away as Hue applied the cream to her soft and warm forehead.

"So…" She said, as though she were trying to be difficult. "Did you only just come here after making sure Ethel was okay?"

"No." Hue answered honestly. "I came directly here after talking with your aunt, Saki, and she said some very interesting things. In fact, I learned exactly the reason you found your brother in that lake all those years ago."

As Hue relayed Regalia's tale to Saki, he noticed the tears forming in her eyes.

"You mean...this whole time...this whole time I've treated all of them as my arch enemies…"

"Saki, no one in that building just now has ever wanted anything but the best for you. I think Junzo figured that out himself after the kidnapping, which is why he wants you to not do what you think you have to, but to be happy. I want you to be happy too…"

Saki through her arms around Hue as she began to sob.

Startled at first, Hue gently began to pat her on the back as her grip on him only tightened.

When Saki finally pulled away after getting all those tears out her system, she gasped.

Hue turned around.

Ethel was standing right there.

"Ethel, how long have you been there?" Hue asked.

Very slowly, she walked up to the both of them.

"Since you told her stepmother's story…" Ethel said as though she weren't really there.

Hue could see nearly a decade's worth of built-up sorrow in her ice blue eyes.

"I'm sorry…" She choked out as she dropped to the ground and threw her own arms around Saki. "It was my fault...It was all my fault…" She continued to somewhat sob in her monotone voice. "I'm sorry…I want you to be happy too..."

She turned to Hue.

The ominous look in her eyes let him know what was coming before it came, but hearing her say it still put an ache in his chest.

"And I'm sorry Hubert Swanson…" She said formally. "In light of the situation, I have become unworthy of our relationship, so it is henceforth relinquished." She gave Hue a very light hug. "Thank you for the happiness you gave me." She whispered. "But I'm sorry that our time together must end. Please understand, and please stay my friend."

 _You didn't have to make it sound so distant...I mean, I knew from TV that getting dumped sucked, but man...this..this is just downright depressing…_

All three of them spent the next few minutes shedding tears in a group hug on the ground behind the pokemon center.

*Viridian Gym, Take Two*

Ethel and Saki walked in, both looking and feeling happy and healthy.

Hue walked in feeling rather awkward.

It had been a few days since that whole fiasco, and each day, Ethel had made it painfully clear to everyone she knew that she and Hue were no longer together.

Hue knew that, in Ethel's case, it was simply wanting the truth to be out there and not wanting to lie to anyone, rather than a boast, like some women, but that didn't mean that the whole ordeal didn't make him feel like Omar Murray's personality.

"Aunt Regalia!" Saki announced.

"We're here to challenge you to a rematch, stepmother!" Ethel called.

Regalia and Cedric stepped out onto the battlefield.

Regalia stopped at the Leader's area, and Cedric headed towards the referee's spot.

"I'll be using the same pokemon once again." Regalia said sternly. "The battle style will remain the same as well. So, send out your pokemon for this fight."

Saki and Ethel nodded at each other and smiled.

"Huey!" Saki called out.

"Gonaaaiiiirrr."

"Gardevoir!" Ethel announced.

"Vooirrrr."

"Battle, Start!" Cedric said, without any further delay.

ETHEL AND SAKI VS REGALIA (2)

"Alright Huey!" Saki called out. "Start things off with Rain Dance!"

"Dragonair!" Huey hollered as rain began to pour down inside the room again.

"This again?" Regalia scoffed.

"Now, Agility!" Saki called out.

"Gardevoir!" Ethel called out. "Misty Terrain!"

Hue watched in amazement as Huey the Dragonair slid through the water on the ground like a slip n' slide while the battlefield was overtaken by a misty terrain.

Regalia's eyes widened.

 _Oh my goodness...she can't see her pokemon!_

"Now, Gardevoir!" Ethel announced. "Psychic!"

"King! King!"

The Nidoking struggled as it was brought up into the air by Gardevoir's psychic energy.

"You're turn Huey!" Saki chimed. "Dragon Rush!"

The Dragonair shot up past the Nidoking faster than anything Hue had ever seen.

"And an Aqua Tail coming back down!" Saki called with an excited smile.

Huey's watery tail slammed the Nidoking down into the Misty Terrain.

"Nidoqueen!" Regalia yelled. "Charge that Gardevoir down while it's distracted! Use Body Slam!"

"Gardevoir!" Ethel exclaimed surprised.

"Not gonna happen!" Saki smirked as Huey rushed and tripped the Nidoqueen who couldn't see him in the mist on the ground anyways.

"Why you…" Regalia shook with anger. "Nidoqueen, use Superpower on that Dragonair, get it out of here!"

"Nido-!" The Nidoqueen raised her hand, only to be stopped by Ethel's Gardevoir.

"No." Ethel said bluntly. "Hypnosis, Gardevoir."

"Garrrdevoiirr…" Gardevoir shot rings of psychic energy at the Nidoqueen that fell asleep.

"Nidoking!" Regalia shouted at her Nidoking, who was struggling to get up after both the Dragon Rush and the Aqua Tail. "Use Megahorn on that Gardevoir!"

"King!" Nidoking rushed towards Gardevoir.

"Ah-ah-ah…" Saki grinned as the Nidoking tripped over what appeared to be nothing.

Huey rose out from the msit and wrapped himself around the Nidoking.

"Ready?" She asked Ethel.

"Ready." Ethel replied with a nod.

"Gardevoir, Psychic on Nidoqueen! Send it towards the Nidoking!"

"Huey!" Saki called out. "Aqua Tail on Nidoking! Send towards Nidoqueen!"

"Gardevoir!" Gardevoir announced as she shot the sleeping Nidoqueen towards the Nidoking.

"Dragonnnn-air!" Huey exclaimed as he shot the Nidoking with his Aqua Tail like it was a hockey puck.

The two Drill pokemon collided with each other and fell with a loud thud and large splash.

The mist and rain cleared up, and Cedric looked absolutely stunned.

"N-Nidoking...and Nidoqueen are...Un-un-unable t-to...b-battle….?" He asked it as a question. "The winners are...Gardevoir and Dragonair...so victory goes to Ethel and Saki!"

"Using Misty Terrain combined with Rain Dance and keeping your opponent from seeing anything that's going on? That was certainly not fair play." Regalia said sternly as she walked up to Ethel and Saki after everyone had returned their pokemon. "I have never been more proud of both of you. You barely even gave me a chance to attack. With an attitude and teamwork like that, you'll both make it far in the League Tournament, I guarantee it."

She handed both of them an Earthbadge.

"You've earned it."

After Hue, Ethel, and Saki all left the gym, Cedric walked up to Regalia. "Lady Ross...did you...did you let them win or something? Never before have I ever seen someone mop the floor with you like that. Even your battles with Master Ross are close calls…"

"No, Cedric, that was a type of harmony that only two people working together can obtain. I don't know what they did, but somehow, they were able to empathise with each other's situations to the point where they found a suitable way to work together, even if their battle styles _are_ completely different."

Regalia sighed. "I can't believe I was defeated by my own daughters…and in such a humiliating way too..."

"They aren't really your daughters, My Lady…" Cedric began. "Well, I suppose the Young Miss _legally_ is but-"

"Cedric, to me, they are both my daughters." Regalia somehow sighed and snapped at Cedric at the same time. "Now get back to cleaning the living room. It's still a damn pigsty in there."

*Viridian Pokemon Center Courtyard The Next Morning*

"We...we have everything we need now…" Hue marveled at the revelation. "Five ribbons each, eight badges each…All we have to do is head to the Indigo Plateau and sign up for the Grand Festival and Pokemon League…"

"Then I'll see the two of you there." Ethel said as she hurried off. "Ciao!" She called as she waved goodbye into the distance as she ran towards Route 22.

"It's just us again, huh?" Hue asked Saki who gave a small smile and nodded.

"It's been awhile since it was like this, hasn't it?"

"Yeah." Hue agreed. "So, what do you want to do today?"

"Umm…" Saki shifted her feet. "There's actually...something I've been meaning to tell you…"

"Yeah?" Hue asked.

"Well...You know how all that's left is the Grand Festival and Pokemon League? And how we're both participating in both events?"

Hue nodded. "Go on.."

"I'm sorry, but do you think we could split up and meet at the Indigo Plateau when we get there?" Saki asked. "I want to train my pokemon like _a lot_ and I don't want you to know everything I'm doing…"

Hue didn't want her to leave, mainly because he didn't want to be alone, but he knew this was important to Saki, so he did the next best thing he could think of.

"In that case, take these.." He said as he emptied the rest of the medicinal cream containers from his bag into Saki's.

She looked like she wanted to protest, but upon realizing what it meant, she simply nodded.

"Thank's Huey!" She smiled. "Call me when you get to the Indigo Plateau and I'll run to meet you 'k?"

"Okay.." Hue gave a small laugh.

Saki gave him a tight hug, and then ran off towards Route 22.

Hue decided to walk around the city to pass the time, and maybe look for someone, anyone at all, who might be willing to travel with him to Victory Road.

He couldn't find anyone.

That was until the Pursuit: Lying Coldly theme from Ace Attorney Investigations began to play on his pokedex.

 _Carmen?_

He picked it up.

"C-Carmen?" He asked, confused.

"Swanson!" Carmen sounded panicked, which was rare."Are you still in Viridian?"

"Yeah?" Hue asked, feeling uneasy. "Why?"

When Hue heard what Carmen said next, he nearly dropped his pokedex.

Regalia Ross and Cedric had both just been found dead, having fallen from the top of the Gym Roof all the way down to the lower Viridian City…

...And Carmen was the prime suspect.


	73. A Murder In Deep Red

Chapter 73:

A Murder In Deep Red

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Water Pulse, Skull Bash, Iron Defense, Rain Dance

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Helping Hand

Ace(Pidgeot): Roost, Wing Attack, Feather Dance, Mirror Move

Espella(Espeon): Morning Sun, Swift, Psybeam, Future Sight

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Akane(Ditto): Transform

Almost hearing the sound of the suspense in his head, Hue ran.

He ran _fast_.

"She was alive just yesterday!" He said aloud to no one in particular.

"How did this happen? Why did this happen?"

He at last reached the crime scene.

"Excuse me!" He pushed passed crowds of people. "Excuse me, I need to get through…"

"Swanson?" He heard Carmen call out.

"Swanson, get over here right away!"

Hue managed to shove his way past the last of the crowd to see Carmen in handcuffs with the Viridian City's Officer Jenny standing over her.

"Carmen!" Hue ran up to her.

"You want this...this _kid_ to prove your innocence?" Jenny asked, not looking the least bit amused. "Save it for the press, Yiddle. First your father, but now we know that you're NTR too...It's disgraceful."

"How _dare_ you suggest that!" Carmen growled. "And you leave my father out of this!"

"Yes, well...I don't think you'll ever take over as Chief of Police at this point." Jenny said haughtily.

"Swanson!" Carmen snapped at Hue. "What are you standing around being dopey for? Go start investigating!"

"I-I still don't know what happened!" Hue exclaimed.

"Kid, this is a murder scene." Jenny said. "And this dangerous woman is the prime suspect. I advise you to go home."

"There's no way Carmen killed anyone." Hue shook his head. "Please...let me investigate. I'm sure I can prove it wasn't her."

"You're _sure_?" Jenny seemed ready to laugh. "That's funny kid. What's your name? I'll issue you a letter of introduction to show the other officers and they'll give you free reign of the place."

"My name is Hubert Swanson." Hue answered.

Jenny's ears perked slightly, like a dog's. "Swanson?" She asked.

"By any chance you wouldn't happen to be Gordon's kid would you?"

Carmen grinned.

"That's Gordon's kid all right." She answered.

Jenny put a hand on Hue's shoulder and looked him in the eyes.

"You may see some things you'd rather not see in there." She told him. "Be careful."

Hue gulped.

He had no clue what was going on or how Gordon Swanson was connected to this case at all, but he did know that Carmen couldn't get arrested for a crime she didn't commit.

Furthermore, this was Ethel's stepmother and Saki's aunt. Both of them would be furious if Hue didn't at least _try_ to find out who killed her.

"What do we know so far?" He asked as he began his investigation.

"First…" Officer Jenny said as she led Hue towards the bodies of Regalia and Cedric.

"We know they died because they fell off of the roof of the gym, and down the large hill to the lower half of the city."

"I think it seems fairly hard for Carmen to simply push them off…"

"Agreed." Officer Jenny said. "In fact, to the layman, this looks like a joint suicide. There isn't a fingerprint to be found on either victim, and they've been tied together with that rope." Officer Jenny pointed to the bow-knotted rope that tied the victim's wrists together.

"Wait a minute…" Hue said examining the knot.

"This rope was tied the wrong way." Jenny agreed. "Whoever it was that killed them likely drugged them, tied them together, and then threw their unconscious bodies off of the gym roof."

"So what makes you think Carmen did it?" Hue asked.

"Well, for starters, she's wearing those black gloves."

"She always wears those." Hue rolled his eyes. "But go on."

"And she was also found inside the Gym when the police arrived on the scene." Officer Jenny explained.

"And I'm sure both Wilson and Piers were found in there as well."  
"Yes." Officer Jenny nodded. "They're still inside in fact, but I doubt you'll get them to tell you anything, seeing as they've both been shot point blank in their hearts, using a type of gun that only someone on the force would have access to."

 _Well, there go my other two suspects…_

"Finally…" Officer Jenny said. "We have our most damning piece of evidence."

She held up a tape.

"This is the footage from the Gym's rooftop security camera. You can't see a damn thing, likely because someone erased the visuals. However, they weren't aware of the audio recordings."

Jenny stuck the tape in a nearby player, and Hue could clearly hear Carmen's voice.  
"This is what you deserve. I'll make sure you never get away with what you did."

Before a pushing sound, followed by a thud.

"Hrm…" Hue stroked his chin.

 _This isn't good…_

"And what does Carmen have to say about it?" He asked.

"That's the strange thing…" Officer Jenny said. "She admitted that she broke into the Gym in an attempt to as she put it, 'take someone down', but she denies having killed the victims, and even though she was the only human soul we found in that gym, she claims that there was someone else on the roof…"

Officer Jenny gave Hue a look that seemed both serious and fed up at the same time. "And Carmen says that they flew away."

"Like on a pokemon?"

"No." Officer Jenny shook her head. "They just...flew…"

He gave a sigh, wondering what it meant, and went inside the Gym.

Andle Ross was talking to a police officer, he looked visibly worried, even with his sunglasses still on.

"Oh, Hubert…" He said as he walked up to Hue rapidly. "Am I ever glad to see you here, kid."

He crouched down to Hue's level and put a hand on Hue's shoulder.

"First off, I heard what happened between you and my daughter. I'm sorry you had to go through that, but I do think she was right in her decision. She would have only made you feel worse if she had waited any longer than she did."

"I...would rather not be reminded of this every ten minutes…" Hue said, mildly annoyed.

"Right, of course, I'm sorry…" Andle said. "But...you know how it is...First Akane and Izaya...and now these two…"

"But it wasn't a suicide…" Hue began. "I thought Akane and Izaya both jumped off of-"

"And who told you that story?" Andle asked, almost bitterly."Saki? The girl who only heard her overcautious brother's version of the story?" He shook his head. "No Hubert, when it comes to the Muranaka family, they all have a habit of dying the same way. They're murdered, usually with someone they've been intimate with unfaithfully, and the crime is poorly made to look like a suicide."

"Unfaithfully intimate?" Hue asked.

"Their affair partners." Andle said bitterly.

Hue felt bad for the poor guy. This was the second wife he'd lost, and he was so paranoid that he suspected her of having an affair with Cedric…

A sudden realization shot through Hue's head. He remembered what PJ had said to him back in Pallet Town..

 _During the manic stages of bipolar depression, individuals with bipolar disorder may experience increased energy, feelings of euphoria, insomnia, or impulsive behaviors, like shopping sprees…_

 _Or promiscuous sex…_

Hue wondered if this scenario was what that hint was for...but how would PJ know something like this would happen?

"Where's Regalia's room?" He asked Andle. "I need to look through her belongings for anything that might lead me to the real killer…"

"I'll help you." Andle offered. "After all, you did prove that you knew what you were doing when you solved my Silph Co. dilemma."

Since he wasn't going to say no to the Champion of the Indigo Area, or to the CEO of such a large company, Hue accepted Andle's offer for assistance.

"Alright." He agreed.

"Now…" Andle began. "We're going to need to go through a room with a large meteorite hanging from it. You're one of the Four Subjects from the kidnapping, correct? I'll have to ask you to be very careful and to neither touch the meteorite nor stare at it too closely or for too long a time. Just keep heading through to the next room, alright?"

"O-okay…" Hue agreed as Andle led Hue through the meteorite room, and Hue could feel himself getting weaker with proximity to the space rock.

"That's way too much meteorite…" Deus complained inside Hue's mind. "It's like a freaking overdose of meteorite. It hurts so much…"

As Deus complained, Hue's head began to ache terribly.

He reached for some cream only to realize he had given it all to Saki.

"That's right…" He mumbled. "I gave it all to Saki…"

"Welp…" Andle opened the door to a hallway that seemed to lead to five different bedrooms as well as two bathrooms. "Here we are. Not counting the two bathrooms, This hallway will lead us to the Master Bedroom down that way, then there's the servant's room, then there's Ethel's room, then a guest room, and finally there's…"

He stopped.

"That was...that was a bedroom we had made specifically for Junzo and Saki." He lamented. "I bet the crib in there is still intact."

"You don't know?" Hue asked, curiously.

"I've...avoided...the rooms that remind me too much of the past." Andle lowered his head. "It's hard enough for me to even be in that meteorite room we just went through. Makes one feel weak, you know?"

Hue could relate so much to that last thing.

"Why don't we check the Master Bedroom first?" Hue suggested.

Andle nodded and unlocked the bedroom doors.

"Now…" He turned to Hue before he opened them. "You may think what you're about to see is creepy, and you may be right, but you have to understand that neither Regalia nor myself expected my daughter to suddenly go out on a Journey like she did, so we wanted to make sure she was completely safe."

After he finished his warning, he opened the door to the room, and Hue saw a bulletin board that looked like it was taken straight out of a CSI show. Nearly everything on it were clippings of news articles and photos that detailed Ethel's whereabouts. As his eyes darted across the board however, Hue realized that, as creepily disturbing as it was to him, none of it seemed connected to Regalia's murder.

"Who's going to run the gym now?" Hue asked. Andle shook his head. "The gym'll have to be closed down for now. We'll just have to hope there aren't that many trainers still looking to get their eighth badge from this gym."

Hue gave a nod as he went back to looking around the room.

"Ah-ha…" He finally said as he managed to discover a small chest hidden behind a jewelry box that he could only assume belonged to Regalia.

"Perfect…" He began to open it.

"Ah, Hue, you might want to wait-" Andle began, but it was too late.

Hue had opened the chest.

Inside it was a bunch of letters.

They certainly proved Regalia was part of an affair.

Just not the affair he had imagined.

The letters addressed to Regalia were from Gordon Swanson.

Hue didn't want to read the contents, but the possibility that something related to Regalia's murder would appear in the letters was too high to just ignore them.

Through reading the first few, Hue realized something incredibly important. Their dates.

They were written while his mother was pregnant with him, even more so they were written before even Ethel was born.

This meant that they were written before Andle and Regalia married.

A lot of Gordon's letters were riddled with apologies to Regalia, saying that he was 'sorry' and that he had decided to 'take responsibility'.

Hue soon realized what Gordon was talking about in the letters, and needed to sit down on the master bed for a while.

"Oh wow...I...wasn't expecting to find this…" He said.

"Please don't think less of your father for this." Andle pleaded. "He truly did love you very much."

"B-but...how did? Why?...I mean, I have a younger sister so he clearly found my mom worthy enough to actually _try_ to have a child with her…"

"I think you should keep reading the letters. You may find you've misread the situation." Andle said.

As Hue continued reading the letters, he noticed that Andle was correct.

As they continued, Regalia's letters sounded more desperate and pleading, and Gordon's came with more profuse apologies.

Hue eventually came to a line that explained it all. It was written by Gordon.

" _I really am sorry. No one should ever be left at the altar, but I simply couldn't go through with the arrangement when I knew the woman I truly loved was pregnant with my child."_

"Damn, dad…" Hue said, his eyes widening. "You turned down the _Champion_ to be with mom and me?"

"Your father was like that…" Andle gave a laugh. "A truly hopeless romantic."

Hue was starting to feel a little better, even if he was still on edge due to the revelation that he wasn't exactly _planned_.

That's when he found the odd letter out.

"Hang on a second…" He said as he looked closely at the letter.

"This isn't the same as the other ones."

"Really?" Andle peered over Hue's shoulder.

"Yeah, you're right…" He said. "Can I just-" He reached for the letter, but Hue quickly got off of the bed and backed away.

"Hubert, why the hostility? I'm only trying to help!"

"I doubt it…" Hue answered. "I might not look like it, but my eyes can send information to my brain really quickly. I already know the contents of this letter, and you are the last person I want to give it to. After all, out of everyone mentioned in it, you're the only one that's still alive who could suffer publicly if the information was leaked."

The letter was a detailed 'pleasure' letter from Muranaka Akane. Aura's mother, writing about how alive she felt to have been partaking in 'forbidden fornication' with Andle while their spouses were both unaware of it.

"Hubert, please…" Andle pleaded. "It was a mistake. I shouldn't have done it, but I had just become CEO of Silph Co. I was in a power high...I…"

"A mistake huh?" Hue asked rather angrily.

"The date of this letter is January 22nd…" He only got more mad. "...Sixteen years ago."

Andle gulped.

"You seemed really eager to care for the relatives of your second wife, who clearly maintained a love for my father despite her marrying you." Hue said, suspiciously. "You also brought Ethel with you when you went to go give Saki and Junzo their food. I learned that from Regalia herself just yesterday. You even went out of your way when we entered the hallway to mention the crib for Saki in what was supposed to be a bedroom specifically for both the Muranaka children. Did you know, Mr. Ross, that the average pregnancy lasts for roughly nine months?"

Hue, momentarily forgetting that he was accusing a man several times stronger than him in multiple regards, walked towards Andle. "How dare you, Mr. Ross…" He said angrily. "How dare you call your eldest daughter a mistake."

Andle, instead of getting mad, or doing something equally intimidating, sighed and sat back down on the bed, making Hue almost pity him.

"That's...not what I meant when I said that…" He said, effectively admitting that what Hue said was correct.

In his mind, Hue breathed a sigh of relief.

 _Well, I'm glad I wasn't just hallucinating it. Those two really did have the same nose. They must have gotten it from him…_

"I'm afraid you've got me…" Andle confessed. "Saki is my firstborn daughter. Ethel, my legitimate child, is my younger one."

"I never got to ask this to Ethel…" Hue said. "But...if you don't mind...how did her mother die?"

Andle put a hand to his head.

"Her name was Decora…" He said. "Decora Noble. She died when we went on a trip to a Space Station in Hoenn a very long time ago. Ethel was barely a year old. They were doing research over there on a Deoxys which had crash landed nearby, and let's just say that the scientists weren't exactly _ethical_ about the research methods. The pokemon attacked the Space Station, killing most of the workers. At one point, it mistook Decora, who was a different type of researcher, for one of the scientists and…"

He paused.

"Well, I'd rather not go into detail. But I only had to buy two plane tickets back to Kanto, and ever since that day, it's been nigh impossible for me to get Ethel to show emotion. It's very rare for me to see her expression or tone of voice change."

Hue nodded, a little sorry that he was so hard on Andle, when Andle was clearly already dealing with a shitstorm of problems, not to mention Ethel's complete confidence that he was being targeted by Chandler and that she herself would be next.

"There is something I don't quite understand though…" Hue finally said.

"What?" Andle asked as he lay on the bed.

 _Is this person really the Champion of the Indigo Area or just one great big kid?_

"Well…" Hue continued. "At the very least, it doesn't look like Regalia and Cedric had any sort of romantic connection with each other…"

"Oh, that…" Andle rolled his eyes. "No, it was a commonly known fact that Cedric was smitten with Regalia…" He said. "When I saw the method of murder I had assumed the worst…"

"And that's another thing…" Hue continued. "Your explanation of the _why_ to the murder doesn't make any sense either."

Andle cocked his head.

"If the original murder case is Akane and Izaya falling off of Lavender Tower…" Hue said. "Then there is no way it's punishing people for adultery. Izaya was the one being cheated on, so why has he-?"

Hue stopped.

He had an idea.

"I have a question Mr. Ross."

"Y-yes?" Andle seemed confused.

"Would you say that Izaya and Akane loved each other? Or are we talking about love that's unrequited?"

"I guess…" Andle thought about it. "Akane and Izaya were an odd couple. Perhaps Izaya truly loved Akane, but it was pretty clear to those who knew them that Izaya and Akane's main and only true reason for staying together was so that they could comfort each other through their Bipolar Depression."

"That's right...they both had it didn't they?"

"Yes…" Andle's eyes squinted, wondering how Hue knew this.

"In that case…" Hue said. "Maybe Izaya did truly love Akane, but she didn't reciprocate. And if Cedric truly loved Regalia, it seems obvious that she wasn't reciprocating. I mean, she's been keeping cherished letters of apology from my father in this room for all these years."

"Where are you going with this?" Andle asked.

"Perhaps the murders were committed because of the lack of reciprocation." Hue said. "Whoever killed Akane and Izaya and made it look like a suicide probably wanted to see Akane and Izaya 'together' at the end, like characters getting together at the end of a novel. And going off of the similarities, it was probably someone who saw the murder happen that managed to plan this one out."

"If that's the case...then they're probably very connected with the Muranaka family…"

Andle said as Hue looked through the last of Regalia's letters, and came to one that sent shivers down his spine.

It was dated to just yesterday, addressed to Regalia, coming from an anonymous sender and the handwriting was atrocious.

It read the following.

" _He loves you. You should love him back. Run Forwards."_

Hue's mind clicked.

As he thought about everything that had happened up to this point, he realized what was going on.

Someone who had seen the first murder and possibly been behind it.

Someone who would be able to convince all others around them that it was a suicide.

Someone who would have, at the very least, the possibility to access the Police Armory for guns.

Someone that treated love, or at least its possibility, as a decider between life and death.

 _Bipolar Depression_

 _Promiscuous Sex_

 _Suicides_

 _Muranaka_

 _Run Forwards_

Hue looked at Andle and gave a gulp.

"I think I might know who our killer is." He said. "But you have to promise to not call me insane."

Andle promised, Hue whispered the name of the killer into Andle's ear, and Andle went to the police right away before leaving without saying any sort of farewell.

Hue sighed as Officer Jenny told him that he would need to stay in Viridian for a little while longer for questioning.

She wanted to know how in the world the deceased Muranaka Junzo could commit such an impossible crime.


	74. The Lonely Road

*Some Unknown Location Underground*

"He's figured it out…" PJ said as he floated into the small underground hospital-like area where a man with shaggy black hair and dark piercing green eyes was waiting. "Junzo….he's figured it out."

"Of course he has…" Junzo said with a sigh. "Just like he said he would all those years ago…"

PJ tilted his head. "Huh?"

"Nevermind…" Junzo shook his head at PJ. "But it looks like you won't be able to fly around pretending to be possessing my body anymore…"

"Good…" PJ sighed as he began to revert back to his normal form. "It's so cramped trying to impersonate you."

"You don't do too good of a job at it…" Junzo replied with a laugh. "Humans don't fly."

He finished making the bed that he was just on.

"There we go...It's in tip-top shape now…" He said as he took some medication. "And if you want to talk cramped, hiding out down here has got to be worse."

"Oh please." PJ rolled his eyes. "I'm no idiot. We both know how worried you are about this. You've been following that kid around since the second he met Saki in Professor Oak's Lab, dressing up in that NTR disguise...Nearly every time you got close, he noticed you…You should be glad it wasn't Saki. That would have been catastrophic to this entire plan…"

"Like I said before…" Junzo said. "I'm only following the instructions of the person who saved my sister's life, as well as mine."

"Alright…" PJ relaxed. "What do we do now then?"

"We lay low…" Junzo replied. "He'll end up here eventually, and then...then we see if what he said so long ago is true."

Chapter 74:

The Lonely Road

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Water Pulse, Skull Bash, Iron Defense, Rain Dance

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Helping Hand

Ace(Pidgeot): Roost, Wing Attack, Feather Dance, Mirror Move

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Akane(Ditto): Transform

"You're telling me that the pokemon that was inside Junzo's body is running around and killing people?"

"No." Hue replied. "I'm just telling you that the pokemon inside Junzo's body is likely the murderer that you're looking for. I know that he knows Carmen, and that she trusts him. She was very clear that he trusted him when she contacted me back when I was in Lavender Town. It wouldn't be hard for him to obtain the type of gun used to shoot Wilson and Piers.

"So what about the audio tape?" Officer Jenny asked skeptically.

"I'm sure it was Carmen talking to the pokemon in Junzo's body."

"Well…" Officer Jenny sighed. "What about motive?"

"Is it not a commonly held belief that a pokemon wants what its trainer wants?" Hue asked.

"Are you telling me that you think Junzo is still alive?" Officer Jenny asked, shocked.

Hue did his best to remain calm, and failed as he croaked out in a raspy and cracked voice "Yes...I do…"

Officer Jenny stared Hue down, half-angry, half-impressed, until finally, she let out one last groaning sigh.

"As long as the possibility of doubt remains, we can't send Carmen to trial until we've either captured, or confirmed the nonexistence of this other suspect…"

"So…" Carmen stood up.

"Can I go?"

" _Only_ if you take a patrol officer with you and make sure to not try to escape." Officer Jenny said. "Nothing's set in stone yet."

Carmen gave a sigh of relief.

She walked up to Hue.

"Good job Swanson." She said with probably the first genuine smile Hue had ever seen her give. "I really owe you. Maybe I can try to get you your job back, what do you say?"

Hue thought about it.

"I...I'd rather not get my job back…" He said. "I realized today that maybe solving murder mysteries this close to home is a bad idea for my own sanity. I found out things that I had never even considered before. So thank you for the offer, and if you asked me i'd definitely help, but I think I need a break from detective work for a while."

Carmen gave another sigh.

"I thought you'd say that." She said as she took out a pokeball and tossed it at Hue.

It was perfectly red on top, with no label or anything.

"A pokeball?" Hue asked.

"Not _just_ a pokeball…" Carmen said. "A parting gift, and my payment to you for somehow managing to clear me of enough suspicion that I won't be arrested."

As she finished talking, Gumshoe the Arcanine burst out of the pokeball and pinned Hue down to the ground as he began to lick Hue's face.

"Ahahahaha…" Hue struggled for a while before Gumshoe let him back up.

"Now...he doesn't know Dig anymore…" Carmen informed Hue. "But he's yours to keep now."

"Carmen, you try to hide it, but I bet you're the type of person who desperately wants some younger sibling to care for…" Hue joked.

Carmen's face turned as red as her clothes.

"Don't act like we're on the same level. I'll see you at the Grand Festival, Swanson."

And with those words, she was off.

*Victory Road*

Saki's Current Team: Karakara(Cubone*shiny*): Bonemerang, Fling, Perish Song, Earth Power

Huey(Dragonair): Aqua Tail, Agility, Rain Dance, Dragon Rush

Sirius(Umbreon): Taunt, Helping Hand, Feint Attack, Guard Swap

Strike(Scyther): Swords Dance, X-Scissor, Night Slash, Razor Wind

Kodu(Golduck): Soak, Aqua Tail, Water Pulse, Zen Headbutt

Nazono(Bellossom): Petal Dance, Sunny Day, Sweet Scent, Grassy Terrain

Saki struggled her way through the dark and dangerous cave that was Victory Road.

It wasn't so much the environment or the other trainers in the cavern that had Saki on edge, but rather…  
"Would you _stop_ with the meteorite cream?" Aura asked in her head. "That shit hurts you know!"

Saki reached for some more cream in response.

"I won't...Let you...control me…" She said. "You're too violent…"

" _I'm_ too violent?" Aura laughed back.

"I'm a _pokemon_. We only ever want what our trainer wants."

"Even so…" Saki said as she brought the meteorite cream closer to her aching temple.

"You have chosen a terrible way to go about achieving our goal."

"Oh come on…" Aura said, her voice getting muffled and more relaxed as Saki spread some cream on her temple.

"He killed your brother. Let me take control of you, just for as long as I need to, and then I'll get out once I'm done."

"No!" Saki protested. "In fact, I'll probably be found out soon for the other atrocities that you committed!"

"But…" Aura replied with a sly grin. " _You're_ the one who gave me those dark thoughts in the first place."

"And that's all they were!" Saki argued. "Thoughts! Anyone with a brain would know that I wasn't actually considering _doing_ any of that!"

"Well excuse me for being created in a test tube…" Aura rolled her eyes. "And you should keep quiet. The trainers you pass by have all been thinking you're absolutely insane and talking to youself, Saki."

"I'm not talking to myself, I'm talking to you, you monster!" Saki shouted as her head began to ache again. "Why are you trying so hard?"

"Because!" Aura replied almost angrily. "We had so many... _so many_ chances to do away with her, and when we got back to the mainland, I thought you were almost certainly on board with it!"  
"Well, there's been a change of plans…" Saki said. "There's no way I'm stooping so low. I refuse to become anything like Chandler. So he can let his goon talk!"

"Oh really?" Chandler's voice echoed throughout the area.

"Oh, look who it is…" Aura said in Saki's head. "I guess this where that expression, 'Speak of the Devil' comes from, huh?"

" _You_ …." Saki stared Chandler down as he emerged from the shadows with a wicked grin of confidence.

"Saki, Saki, Saki, Saki…" Chandler twisted his head from side to side as he brought his arms up in a shrug.

"And you were doing so well as a player too...But then you had to go and break the rules of the game…"

"The...rules of the...what?" Saki asked, confused.

"The game that you, Subject 3, and your precious Huey are all players in." Chandler extended his arms.

The area behind him instantly lit up.

Saki's eyes dilated.

Moltres was directly behind Chandler, with its wings spread wide.

She very carefully rose her pokedex up to the bird.

"[Moltres]." The pokedex read back to her. "The [Flame] Pokemon. So powerful, its fire dust can bring early spring to wintery land. Known as the legendary bird of fire. Every flap of its wings creates a dazzling flash of flames."

"Gyaooooohhhh!" Moltres cawed as it flapped its wings, and dazzling flames flashed around it, confirming what Saki's pokedex had said.

Saki gulped and reached for her Safari Ball.

"I never agreed to be a part of your game." She said. "We both know full well that the deal you made was with Aura."

"Do you really think that's a good idea?" Chandler asked with a wicked grin. "Taking on a legendary pokemon with one that isn't even fully evolved yet, Saki?"

He looked over Saki, who was frozen with a mix of anger and fear.

"It seems you've got the situation mistaken…" Chandler said. "I'm not here because you've refused to kill the monster pretending to be Subject 3. I'm here because you aren't playing fair."

"I don't know what you're talking about…" Saki said.

Chandler laughed. "Oh don't play dumb with me. I know that your precious Hue is aware of your true identity. Even more than you are actually. So why are you still hiding it? You can hide your identity from other players in the game, Saki, but I'm not a player, nor am I a piece. I am the House, and the House always wins."

Mewtwo walked up from behind Chandler and picked Saki up, nearly choking her with psychic energy.

"Hnnngggh!" Saki struggled to free herself from her suspension in the air but it wasn't working.

"I'm sorry Saki…" Chandler almost lamented as the Mewtwo's paw clenched and Saki's mind began to go blank.

"You were a good player, but you've been disqualified. It's time you became a piece."

The Mewtwo's paw curled up entirely into a fist and Saki's body dropped to the ground

After a few minutes of staring at the body on the ground, Chandler and Mewtwo left, and the Moltres folded its wings back into its body and went back to sleep.

A few more minutes passed.

Saki lifted her head.

 _Did I...Did I manage to trick him?_ She wondered. As soon as she was done with the thought, she collapsed back to the ground again in agonizing pain, until suddenly, she no longer had control over herself.

The hand of Saki's body clenched tight, and lifted the rest of her body up off the ground.

"Sorry, Saki." Aura said with a crazed look in her eye as she fixed Saki's hair. "But I'm not letting him get away with hurting you like that. You're my precious trainer after all. I'm going to borrow this body for a while okay?...Just long enough to _kill that man._ "

 _No..._ Saki thought.

She tried to take control of her body back.

She couldn't.

"Sorry…." Aura apologized again. "But that psychic energy allowed your conscious to become malleable enough for me to push past it and take complete control. You're not allowed back in power until I say you are."

She giggled as she began to skip towards the Indigo Plateau.

*Route 22*

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Water Pulse, Skull Bash, Iron Defense, Rain Dance

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Helping Hand

Ace(Pidgeot): Roost, Wing Attack, Feather Dance, Mirror Move

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Akane(Ditto): Transform

Gumshoe(Arcanine): Odor Sleuth, Extremespeed, Flare Blitz, Wild Charge

"Deus?" Hue asked.

"Hue…" Deus sighed in his head. "You shouldn't be talking to me every chance you get."

Hue knew Deus was right.

The pain in his temples only aided Deus's point.

The green wound on his stomach was beginning to reappear again too.

But he couldn't help it.

There was no one.

Not a single person but Hue.

"This was the situation I wanted to avoid…" Hue mumbled as he sat down practically in the middle of the pathway towards the gates before Victory Road.

"Oh!" He got an idea.

"Akane!" He sent out his Ditto.

"Ditto?" Akane asked as they tilted their goopy...head?...questionably at Hue.

"Hey Akane!" Hue smiled, almost too eager to put his idea into effect.

"If you don't mind, could you um...maybe transform into one of the humans you've seen before?"

"Ditto?" Akane seemed almost offended.

"No, no, I won't ask you to do anything else. Just keep me company in a human form until I find someone willing to let me tag along with them until we reach the Indigo Plateau…"

"Hue…" Deus said with a sigh as Akane transformed into Hue himself.

"No one is going to want to travel with their competition right now...Surely you must have realized that…"

He was interrupted when Hue quickly looked behind him.

"What was that?" He asked frantically.

"Ditto?" Akane looked behind themselves as well.

"Hue…" Deus said. "There's nobody there…"

"No...there was someone there…" Hue shivered.

"There has to be someone there…"

He looked behind a nearby boulder.

"Anyone there?"

"There's no one there." Deus repeated as Hue stared at empty space.

"Huh…" Hue said. "I could have sworn there was someone there…"

"You might need to get over that paranoia of yours…" Deus advised Hue.

"It only encourages you to call on me, but I really don't want to be responsible for any harm that befalls you…"

"Deus, why are you so nice to me?" Hue asked.

"I keep telling you…" Deus said almost with a laugh. "I'm a pokemon. More specifically, I'm _your_ pokemon. I just have a very very special pokeball so to speak."

"Any ideas on what type of pokemon you might be yet?" Hue asked.

"I wouldn't know…" Deus said. "DNA experiment remember? I was created in a test tube and then injected into you."

"Oh...right...whoops…"

Hue and Akane in Hue's image continued walking down the road.

A few minutes passed.

"Yeah...I don't think this is working Akane, you aren't much for conversation…"

"Ditto…" Akane grumbled.

"This is exactly what I'm talking about. I don't know if you actually agree with what I'm saying or not…"

"Ditto…" Akane grumbled again.

"A pokemon can't quite replace a human in terms of companionship. They fulfill different roles…"

"What about you Deus?" Hue asked. "You can talk…"

"It's probably just an effect of being injected into your DNA…" Deus theorized.

"But I'm not a scientist…Just a pokemon."

"He's totally insane…" A group of girl trainers passed Hue by as they whispered to each other on their way to Victory Road.

"I hope I don't have to fight him in the league…"

"You're lucky you only have to worry about the League...I've got the Grand Festival to worry about…"

"I wonder why he's talking to himself like that."

"He even made a ditto transform into him. I wonder if he's a-"

"Would you shut up?!" Hue yelled as he threw a rock at the group of gossipping girls and they all gave small screams as they hurried away. "I can hear what you're saying you know!"

Deus sighed in Hue's mind.

"I think it's high time you returned Akane. Try to think of something to help you get to the Indigo Plateau more quickly."

Hue did as Deus instructed, not wanting any more people he didn't even know to think he was some raving lunatic.

 _Something to think of to get to the Indigo Plateau more quickly…_

Hue imagined what it would be like when he actually reached the Indigo Plateau.

He imagined _emerging out of Victory Road and shielding his eyes from what would be a bright sunlight beaming down on him_.

He imagined _seeing both the Grand Festival stadium as well as the Pokemon League Tournament area. The torch for the Moltres flame looming over the area._

He imagined _walking towards the doors of the competitors' dormitory._

 _And they open before he reaches them, and a figure walks out and towards Hue_. At first, in his mind, Hue thought that _Ethel was slowly approaching from the doorway, but as the figure sped up and got closer to him…_

 _Saki..._

" _Hueyyyy!"_ He imagined _Saki calling with a smile on her face._ " _Come here, come here! You have to look at the menu this place's buffet has!"_

As Hue imagined himself running towards her, he snapped out of his trance.

"Gah!" He hit his head on one of the two statues marking the entrance to the cavern known as Victory Road.

"Wow…" Deus said. "I know I said think about something to keep yourself occupied, but you must have really liked whatever it was you thought about…"

 _I must have...really…I mean, of course I must have really liked it. It was the very first thing I thought of, and it was hard for me to stop thinking about-..._

 _...Oh._

Hue realized exactly what that meant.

He adjusted his glasses, as well as his bag, zipped up his blue jacket, and sprinted into Victory Road.

He was more pumped to get to the Indigo Plateau than ever now.


	75. The Man With White Hair

Hue was jogging through Victory Road.

He was determined to make it out by the day's end if at all possible.

"Battle?" He heard a trainer ask him almost timidly.

"Eyes didn't meet, so no can do!" Hue used the no eye contact excuse as he kept running, and eventually reached a dead end.

"Dammit…" He cursed quietly before he went to go retrace his steps.

"Look's like I took a wrong turn…"

He looked around for a few minutes before realizing he had absolutely no idea where he was.

"Now I sort of wish I had accepted that trainer's request to battle…" Hue sighed as he sat down against the cavern wall to catch his breath.

"You've still made it incredibly far into Victory Road within only an hour…" Deus congratulated Hue, though all it really did was make Hue's head hurt.

"Maybe giving all that cream to Saki was a bad idea…" Hue said as he rubbed his head.

"The pain is starting to come back…"

"Oh, sorry…" Deus said quietly. "I didn't realize you were getting hurt by my speaking again…"

Hue rested for a little while longer, when the sound of approaching footsteps woke him back up again.

"No, wait, you might want to turn around…" Hue said to the approaching shadowy person as he stood up.. "This pathway is a dead end. I was just about to head back and take the correct turn. I'll tag along with you to the real exit if you want…"

"Oh, that's very kind of you." A familiar voice said as the footsteps got louder and close, and a face appeared through the darkness.

"But I happen to know exactly where I'm going right now." Andle Ross said to Hue with a smile.

"Though, if you don't mind. You're help would be very much appreciated."

"With what?" Hue asked.

Andle held out the torch that was lighting the area surrounding the two of them.

"This torch...need's to have Moltres's flame burning on it." Andle requested.

Chapter 75:

The Man With White Hair!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Water Pulse, Skull Bash, Iron Defense, Rain Dance

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Helping Hand

Ace(Pidgeot): Roost, Wing Attack, Feather Dance, Mirror Move

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Akane(Ditto): Transform

Gumshoe(Arcanine): Odor Sleuth, Extremespeed, Flare Blitz, Wild Charge

"T-that torch needs to have a _what_?" Hue asked in disbelief.

"This torch is going to light the great torch in the main stadium of the Pokemon League, when the time comes…" Andle announced. "But for that to happen, I have to actually _dip_ the torch in one of Moltres's flames first. This ordinary fire just isn't enough."

"That sounds...like an incredibly dangerous job…" Hue said.

Andle gave a laugh.

"That's why they send the Champion to do it!" He replied. "And if both my kids recognize you as a rather clever trainer, your help would certainly be accepted, Subject 4."

Hue almost cringed when Andle said "Subject 4."

It had been so long since anyone addressed him in that regard.

"I...would _prefer_ it if you called me Hue…" Hue said.

"I would too." Andle agreed. "But I need to remind myself of the legendary pokemon DNA inside you, because I wouldn't be asking you to help me take on a legendary bird otherwise."

 _Did I ever actually tell him that I had a_ legendary _pokemon inside of me? That feels like something I wouldn't just_ tell _someone, even the Champion…_

"You okay, Subject 4?" Andle asked.

"Y-yeah…" Hue said, realizing he was spending too much time thinking to himself.

"Alright, of course I'll help. I can't quite refuse the Champion, now can I?"

"Hahaha, no…" Andle laughed almost a little nervously. "I guess you can't…"

He walked passed Hue, to where what Hue thought was a dead-end.

"First…" He informed Hue. "We break down this flimsy wall."

He sent out a pokemon.

This was the first pokemon Hue had ever seen in Andle Ross's possession.

"Rhyperior!" The pokemon snorted as it spun the drill-like horn on its head.

"[Rhyperior]" Dean informed Hue. "The [Drill] Pokemon, and the evolved form of Rhydon. Rhyperior launches rocks or Geodude from holes in its palms. Its shell-like covering can withstand a volcano's eruptions."

"You mean that thing is powerful enough that it uses whole other pokemon as ammunition?" Hue asked in awe.

"Only in rare and extreme cases." Andle laughed in reply. "Don't worry. Unless things go terribly, _terribly_ wrong, Rhyperior here won't be launching any Geodude."

 _But...we'll be up against Moltres...and Moltres is under the ownership of…_

Hue shook his head.

 _No, I shouldn't think like that. It isn't like I know for certain whether Moltres is under Chandler's ownership…_

"You okay, Subject 4?" Andle asked again.

Hue gulped.

 _It's like he asks that whenever he catches on to my thoughts and worry…_

"I'm fine…" Hue replied with a nod as Rhyperior knocked down a small amount of rock to reveal a pathway leading into what, from where Hue and Andle were standing, appeared to be a well-lit cavern.

"And the first of the eight trials…" Andle sighed.

"Eight trials?" Hue asked.

"That's right, Subject 4." Andle nodded.

"Eight trials, each meant to signify a badge, must be passed in order for any trainer, Champion or otherwise, to meet Moltres."

 _That sounds...absolutely ridiculous…_

Hue thought to himself, but he didn't say anything about it and followed Andle into the first chamber.

The room was filled with rocks.

 _Rock Type…._

Was Hue's first thought.

"Rock Type…" Andle recognized as well. "It looks like our first opponent will be of the Rock Type."

He turned to Hue.

"Subject 4, I think I'll let you handle this one."

Before Hue could ask what Andle meant, a shiny Onix rose up from the ground, and lunged straight for Hue.

"Douglas!" Hue yelled as he threw out a pokeball. "Iron Defense!"

"Tooiissee!" Douglas called as he coated himself in what looked to be steel and caught the Onix before it rammed into Hue.

"Blastoise." He nodded at Hue for a command.

"Alright, Douglas, Water Pulse the hell out of this thing."

Douglas nodded, did as he was told, and the Onix fell to the ground, unconscious.

Hue looked on in awe as a dent in the cavern wall opened up to reveal a pathway to another chamber.

The next chamber was filled with water.

 _Water Type? Are these chambers in the order of the gym's I've battled?_

Hue's suspicions were only confirmed when a shiny Starmie jumped out at him.

He looked to Andle, who nodded back.

"I'm sure you can handle this one too, Subject 4." He nodded.

"Gumshoe!" Hue called his Arcanine out again.

"Arrrcanine!" Gumshoe yelled as his feet splashed in the water.

 _Thank you, Carmen, for giving him this move._ Hue was sure to mentally thank his former boss.

"Wild Charge!" Hue ordered.

Gumshoe's body began to charge up with electricity, only made even more powerful by the water that was helping conduct it, and rammed into the Starmie.

Once again, the pokemon fell to the floor without much of a fight.

"Good, good…" Andle nodded. "This is what I expected. I'll handle the next two, if you don't mind of course." He said.

"Oh...uh, sure…" Hue replied. Not sure if he had done anything to upset Andle or something.

The next chamber was filled with static electricity.

He noticed it as he brought his hand up to feel his hair standing on end.

Andle's white hair was doing the same.

 _He looks almost like some kind of mad scientist…_ Hue thought to himself.

A shiny Raichu appeared in the center of the room, just like the Onix and Starmie before it in the previous chambers.

"These are…." Hue said realizing it.

"These pokemon are…"

"Earthquake." Andle announced to his Rhyperior. He turned to Hue. "Hold onto something, Subject 4."

Hue did as he was told and held onto part of the cavern wall jetting out for dear life as the entire ground shook and the Raichu fell over, completely unconscious.

"These guardians aren't very tough…" Hue made a point of saying.

"I don't see what the big deal is…"

"Yes…" Andle replied. "But you should continue keep your pokemon out, just in case. You never know when you may need them."

Hue, though not necessarily in agreement with Andle's reasoning, could still understand why he would think that, and Andle _was_ the Champion, so he very clearly knew what he was doing when it came to battling with pokemon.

Hue turned back to Gumshoe and Douglas and gave them both nods to stay out.

They seemed concerned, but nodded back at him.

"Alright, Subject 4." Andle said as another passageway revealed itself. "Let's keep going…"

The next chamber had a few strange floating rocks in it, obviously being suspended in the air thanks to the psychic energy of the shiny Alakazam in the middle of the chamber.

"I was _right_!" Hue exclaimed, unable to hold himself in any longer. "These are shiny versions of the signature pokemon used by the Gym Leaders in the _exact_ order I faced them!"

"Really…" Andle said, in a strange way that sounded more like an agreement than a question.

"Don't worry, Subject 4." He said. "I've got this one too, but I think I'd like you to take care of the rest afterwards if that's alright."

It _wasn't_ alright. Why was Hue going to have to do most of the work?

He didn't complain however.

It was clearly just another flawed quirk about Andle.

He was starting to understand why Ethel didn't like to be thought of as Andle's daughter.

"Go!" Andle announced as he sent out another pokemon.

"Crobat!"

Hue tilted his head.

 _That's an interesting choice to battle an Alakazam…Surely he must have a pokemon better suited to take care of it…_

"Crobat…" Andle announced. "Use X-Scissor."

And once again, the opposing pokemon was down right away.

"I can leave it to you from here, right Subject 4?" Andle asked

 _Can't he at least put my name in there somewhere? I don't like being called Subject 4 like this…_

"Sure…" Hue said, deciding to no longer make an effort to disguise his lack of willingness to continue.

"Just try to hang in there, Subject 4." Andle said, making Hue wonder whether he was _really_ trying to be reassuring. "I recommend using a different pokemon for each guardian. Just in case, to keep their health up."

"I...see…" Hue said.

 _Alright...I feel like something is officially weird. Sure, Gumshoe had some recoil damage, but Douglas should be fine still, and It's not like these pokemon here all that tough…_

The fifth chamber was filled to the brim with grass and flowers.

In the center of it all was a shiny Tangela.

"Gordon!" Hue called out.

"Nidorino!" Gordon announced.

Andle's eyes widened, or at least, Hue thought they did. He couldn't see them behind the blackness of Andle's sunglasses.

"Gordon, eh?" He asked. "You have a history with this Nidorino or something?"

"Yeah…" Hue said, not willing to elaborate further on the topic.

He turned to Gordon.

"Poison Jab." He announced.

Once again, to absolutely nobody's surprise, the shiny Tangela dropped to the floor right away.

Hue squeezed his eyes shut as he pinched the skin of the bridge of his nose.

"Why are these pokemon going down so easily?" He wondered aloud. "I feel like if someone was trying to keep Moltres locked up, they'd do a better job with setting up the guardians…"

Andle only nodded.

"Makes sense…" He said.

 _My logic, or what whoever set all this up was thinking? It's hard to tell one way or the other with you…_

The passageway to the sixth chamber opened.

"Alright, we keep going now, right?" He asked Andle, who gave a smile and a nod.

"I know you don't particularly find this enjoyable." He said. "Truly, Subject 4, thank you for doing as I've asked."

 _That was the least thankful 'thank you' I've ever heard in my life…_

Hue nodded back to Andle and continued into the sixth chamber.

There were a few invisible walls in this chamber, which, though Hue found this not surprising at all, also felt that they made it quite hard to reach the shiny Venomoth that lay in the center of the chamber itself.

"Ace!" Hue called out as he sent out his Pidgeot.

"Pidegot?" Ace asked Hue for something to do.

"See if you can fly over the invisible walls and Wing Attack that Venomoth…"

Once again, in absolutely no time at all, the Venomoth was on the ground, unconscious.

"I don't get it…" Hue decided to bring it back up again.

"All these pokemon are shiny versions of pokemon belonging to the gym leaders that _I_ faced, and in the same order that _I faced them_. This can't be a coincidence."

"I see…" Andle said with a solemn nod.

"It does seem a little too coincidental to truly be coincidence…"

"And they're going down really easily as well…" Hue made it a point to continue. "Why would guardians for a legendary pokemon, not be able to stand up to a single attack?"

"What are you saying, Subject 4?" Andle asked.

"I'm saying, sir, that I have a bad feeling about this. I don't like that we're heaidng deep into a dead end of the cave. I don't like that we're _looking_ for a legendary pokemon of _destruction_ , and I _certainly_ don't like the fact that whoever set this up seemed to know perfectly well that _I_ would be here too. This has 'trap' written all over it."

"We can't just lie, Subject 4." Andle held out the torch. "This torch needs to have a Moltres flame on it. I understand your concern, but please, we only need to go a little further. Perhaps Moltres will be asleep when we arrive and we will only need to simply sneak a flame away from it."

 _Like some kind of Victory Road version of Jack and the Beanstalk? I guess that would make Moltres's owner the Giant._

Hue didn't know if he wanted to tell Ethel's father about the possibility that the leader of a criminal syndicate might be setting a trap for them, which Hue himself was becoming ever more certain of however, because it might be taken the wrong way, and then Hue would most likely be sent to the police for questioning, and miss nearly all of the Grand Festival.

That was the scenario he wanted to avoid entirely.

With a grunt, he began to move towards the seventh's chamber.

The seventh chamber was as Hue expected it to be.

Incredibly hot thanks to the pools of magma outlining the area.

 _Fire type. And The pokemon is probably going to be…_

Hue was once again not surprised to see a shiny Magcargo sitting in the middle of the chamber.

"Arthur!" He called his Gallade out.

"Psycho Cut."

"G'lade." Arthur nodded as he quickly shot a Psycho Cut at the Magcargo.

"Hm…" Andle said. "Your Gallade possesses a Mega Stone, and you possess a keystone, but you didn't mega evolve?"

"There's a bit of a...complication...whenever I try to mega evolve Arthur." Hue answered.

"It's because you're not fully human, isn't it, Subject 4?" Andle said in a tone that _sounded_ caring, but all it really did was make Hue feel even more alone than when he was being paranoid on Route 22.

"G'lade….." Arthur said as he walked back to Hue from a Magcargo that was down on the ground.

"And now we only have one chamber left before where Moltres allegedly is." Hue said, changing the subject.

"Yes. Let's continue forward." Andle said.

 _I_ really _have a bad feeling about this, but you_ are _the Champion, and so far, none of this has seemed all too dangerous._

Hue gave a sigh as the two of them marched forwards.

"So…" Andle began to make conversation as they went down a passageway that was quite a lot longer than usual. "What made you decide to become a trainer, Subject 4?" He asked.

"Oh me?" Hue was startled. He wasn't expecting a normal topic to come out of this man's mouth.

"I became a trainer because...well, because of the kidnapping I guess. Or rather, the kids who busted everyone out of the kidnapping. They were all trainers who used their pokemon. And I wanted to become a trainer strong enough to save other kids from a kidnapping, just like them."

"That's a noble goal you have there." Andle gave a laugh. "It reminds me of the days when Gordon and I were your age, and partaking in the pokemon league. I'll never forget how our battle ended."

"You battled my father in the pokemon league?" Hue asked.

"In the final round no less." Andle replied. "And your father was doing a damn good job too. He and his pokemon were in perfect sync with each other, but, in the middle of the fight…"

Andle went on to explain how Constance, Hue's mother, was around back then too, and she was almost abducted by a serial kidnapper and rapist, and murderer, but when someone announced it during the match, Gordon immediately surrendered, saying what Andle believes is the same philosophy that Hue is using for his travels.

"The match doesn't mean anything to me! But she _does_. I'm not going to let someone do anything terrible to her just so I can win some dumb title. That's not the mark of a strong trainer."

Hue's gasp didn't come from the quote, but rather, what Andle's story implied.

"You've been the Champion... _before_?"

"Yes." Andle nodded. "Right up until Regalia took my title. After that, well, I only won it back just about a month or so after you started your journey I bet."

Hue nodded to Andle to show he understood.

"Thank you for sharing that story with me." He said.

 _I know I'd certainly have no problems throwing a match if I knew it would save someone's life. Especially someone like Diane or Gloria or Saki._

"Why did you become a trainer?" Hue asked Andle.

"Because I thought it would be fun?" Andle answered with a nervous laugh before his face turned serious.

"But as for why I've become a _serious_ trainer _again…"_ He said.

"Well. It was because I learned that Subject 3 was out on her own journey, against my expressed command that she remain in the Gym. I've become the Champion to set an example to her. To let her know that there will always be someone out there who she cannot surpass."

 _Wait, wait wait, hold on, I heard like, three, at least three, things in that sentence that warrant closer examination!_

Before Hue could ask any more, Andle pointed.

"The eighth chamber. Here we are."

Hue nodded. _I'll bring it up later._

They walked into the chamber.

This chamber was absolutely normal, and plain. There might have been an excess amount of dust on the ground, but for the most part it was just a regular chamber.

In the center of the area was a shiny Steelix.

"Akane!" Hue called out as he sent out his Ditto.

Andle's expression became one of surprise as Akane transformed into Andle's Rhyperior, since Hue knew it would know Earthquake.

"W-where did you get that pokemon, and why did you give it that name?" Andle asked, almost angrily.

"I...found this pokemon…" Hue said as Akane used an Earthquake, and the Steelix fell over, once again, without much of a fight, proving to Hue that there was no way these pokemon were set up in order to keep people from reaching Moltres, whom Hue was also positive was owned by Chandler.

"While I was looking through the old lab where I was being held back on Cinnabar…" He continued. "And I didn't name it. My father did."

"So that's where it was…" Hue heard Andle mumble under his breath, as the two of them, Andle's Rhyperior and Crobat, and all of Hue's current party, walked into the final chamber.

It was large, and bright, lit by many different torches along the walls.

Hue walked towards the center of the chamber with the rest of his pokemon.

He couldn't see or feel a Moltres anywhere.

Deus rang in Hue's head.

"Trap...I think this is a trap…"

"You and me both…" Hue said to Deus as he clutched his head, and turned to face Andle, who was making his way to the center of the room very slowly.

"Mr. Ross, we might want to go back." Hue said. "I don't see Moltres anywhere, and I personally think that's a good thing. I feel like this might be a trap."

"A trap?" Andle tilted his head, as though he was feigning the curiosity. "What makes you think that?"

"Well…" Hue began, unable to keep any information he had a secret any longer, for his own sanity. "I believe that Moltres has already been caught by Chandler, the leader of NTR. Furthermore, Ethel believes that he's trying to take over the league. And finally…those guardians weren't guardians at all...but a play to get me to send out all my pokemon, which I fell for, despite my better judgement...But you let loose a piece of information slip that you shouldn't have."

Andle took off his sunglasses, showing his ice-blue eyes, a mix between crazed and tormented.

"I suppose I did mess up towards the end there." He said with a sigh.

"You clued me into the identity of Subject 3, something nobody except the one who began calling her Subject 3 in the first place would know the true identity of. You said that she went on a journey _against your command to stay at a Gym_."

Hue gulped as he realized what he was saying.

"There's only one person that can be. So I have a question for you...Why is not just Saki, but your _other_ daughter also a Subject? What are you trying to pull?"

Arhtur drew what Hue spoke on the ground.

"Champion, Andle Ross….Ch. Andle R. … Chandler...Quite the alias you came up with. Did you really think that nobody would catch onto it?"

"Not at all…" Champion Andle Ross AKA Chandler announced. "In fact, since you made it this far, let me tell you something...Something I told you a long time ago."

He moved closer to Hue as he let a pokeball drop to the ground.

Moltres popped out.

"Subject 3, my daughter, is _dead_." He said. "She's _been_ dead for a while now, but that monster is still living inside her body, pretending to be her. You've spent time around the girl you think is Ethel Ross. Surely you know how in tune with her surroundings and with other pokemon she is."

Hue froze.

That was right…

Subject 3 was supposedly dead…

That meant that…

 _No way...when we were...that was really...?_

"And to be fair…" Chandler announced. "I didn't do _anything_ to my daughter. In fact, I tried to find all sorts of ways to save her, to no avail. She wasn't really a Subject in the kidnapping like the rest of you were. She was only called Subject 3 to give her camouflage. _Her_ pokemon parasite burrowed right into her directly, and she never showed emotion to me again. That was why I formed NTR with your father and Moe in the first place. It was a scientific group, dedicated to finding a way to save my daughter without generating media attention. Unfortunately, things only got worse and worse, and when your father died because of some Tauros shit illness that none of us knew was even present in Sinnoh, I made a mistake of going ahead with the kidnapping project he had warned me against for so long. Moe quit soon after, and I realized that if any research for my daughter's well being was to continue, NTR would have to become the criminal syndicate that it is today. Even today, I can remember the day I found her in the same room you likely found that Ditto of yours. When I saw her dead body there, I could swear I was seeing double. I had to blink and rub my eyes multiple times until there was only one body for me to carry back home. Do you know what it's like to lose a child like that?"

Moltres moved closer to Hue.

Chandler held up his torch.

"Don't worry." He said. "This is already a Moltres flame. I'm sorry I led you down here."

"And you still don't want the media on your tail, because even if Ethel is dead, that's still her body that the pokemon is using?" Hue asked.

Chandler nodded. "I'm in too deep. Far past the point of redemption. I couldn't turn myself in, no matter how much I might want to. I'm tired of playing this game. I could use a break. I need a break. Which is why I'm regretting to inform you that although you performed marvelously, and most certainly got the high score, figuring nearly everything out...I have to end it here."

Moltres stepped even closer to Hue and flapped its wings.

"Gyaoooohhhh!"

Flashes of flames shot out of and all around Moltres, and Hue could feel the intense heat that the bird was giving off.

"It was a fun game, Hubert Swanson." Chandler said, almost remorseful for what Hue knew he was planning to do. "You made it very far…"

"Gyaoohhhhh!" Moltres took a battle ready stance, as did Chandler. All six of Hue's pokemon rushed to defend him as he looked Champion Andle Ross in his half-crazed, half-sorrowful eyes.

"...But your journey comes to a close here. _Goodbye_."


	76. Let Sleeping Legends Lie

"It was a fun game, Hubert Swanson." Chandler said, almost remorseful for what Hue knew he was planning to do. "You made it very far…"

"Gyaoohhhhh!" Moltres took a battle ready stance, as did Chandler. All six of Hue's pokemon rushed to defend him as he looked Champion Andle Ross in his half-crazed, half-sorrowful eyes.

"...But your journey comes to a close here. Goodbye."

Chapter 76:

Let Sleeping Legends Lie

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Water Pulse, Skull Bash, Iron Defense, Rain Dance

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Helping Hand

Ace(Pidgeot): Roost, Wing Attack, Feather Dance, Mirror Move

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Akane(Ditto): Transform

Gumshoe(Arcanine): Odor Sleuth, Extremespeed, Flare Blitz, Wild Charge

"Gyaaaooohhhh!" The Moltres shot out a Flamethrower at Hue directly.

"Douglas!" Hue called out. "Counter with Water Pulse, Arthur, use Helping Hand! Deus, get me out of the line of fire!"

"Blaasstoiiisee!" Douglas shot out the largest Water Pulse Hue had ever seen him shoot as Arhtur began to charge Moltres head on.

"This is going to hurt…" Deus warned Hue, before Hue found himself running at an extremely fast pace in order to dodge the large Flamethrower attack.

The Water Pulse hit the Moltres and fizzled up almost immediately.

When Arthur's leg collided with the Flame pokemon's chest, it wasn't the bird, but Arthur who dropped to the ground in agony.

"Arthur!" Hue called out.

"G-Gallade!" Arthur called back as he stood back up.

"Your resistance is saddening…" Chandler said with his head hung low, not bothering to look up.

"Please accept your fate."

He turned towards his Moltres.

"You know what to do. Use Flamethrower again."

"Gyaoohhh!" The Moltres shot a Flamethrower and Arthur.

"Gumshoe!" Hue called out. "Wild Charge it!"

"Arrrrcaaaniiiineee!" Gumshoe cloaked himself in electricity and charged Moltres, ramming into it head first, sending the flamethrower just directly above Arthur, to where Ace was.

Ace instantly fell to the ground, completely unconscious.

"Ace!" Hue called as he returned his Pidgeot.

"We'll get you to a pokemon center…"

He looked over at Gordon.

"Gordon, try a Horn Drill!" He called out.

"Niiidoooo….Riiiinnnoooo!"

"Gordon…" Chandler mumbled as he kept his head low, and looked away from the fight and at the ground. "I'm sorry…"

The Moltres caught Gordon's Horn Drill attack with ease, also trapping a recoiled Gumshoe within the span of its wings.

"Gyaooohhh!" It bellowed as it shot another Flamethrower, causing both Gordon and Gumshoe to fall to the ground, just as unconscious as Ace had been.

"No!" Hue called as he quickly returned the two of them.

"Douglas!" He called out. "Rain Dance, let's go!"

"Blaaaasss!" Douglas began as he roared and summoned a heavy rainfall.

"Arthur!" Hue called out. "Psycho Cut, let's go!"

"G'lade!" Arthur yelled as he shot a Psycho Cut at Moltres, who did skid back a little bit, filling Hue with a small amount of hope before…

"Moltres…" Chandler said, his head still facing the ground. "Use Hurricane."

"Gyaaaaoohhhhh!" The Flame pokemon hollered as it flapped it wings, a flash of dazzling flames appeared, and the strongest Hurricane attack Hue had ever seen was sent directly in Arthur's direction.

"Arthur!" Hue called out.

...But he wasn't fast enough.

The Hurricane attack hit Arthur full force, and Hue's Gallade fell to the ground, unable to continue fighting.

"Arthur no!" Hue ran up to his Gallade in the now damp cave, thanks to Douglas's Rain Dance.

"Gallade…" Arthur gave Hue a weak nod, before returning himself to his pokeball.

Arthur...giving up in a fight...That can't bode well for me…

I only have Douglas and Akane left…

"Douglas!" Hue called out. "I know this might not be the best time to see if we're any closer to learning that move, but if you can get a Hydro Cannon out here, I'd be incredibly grateful!"

"B-Blastoise…" Douglas said nervously as he aimed the cannons on his shoulders towards the Moltres.

"Blaassss!" The cannons began to grow larger as the water inside them built up with pressure until…

"Toooiiiseeee!" Douglas shot out what appeared to be a Hydro Cannon attack until it fizzled up half-way to Moltres.

"No!" Hue yelled in agony. "Damn it, I should have known better than to think a miracle like that would occur…"

"Blastoise…" Douglas looked at Hue with a sad expression on his face.

"No, it's not your fault buddy." Hue said. "I should have spent more time with you on that attack…"

"Moltres…" Candler said. "Hurricane."

"Gyaooohhh!" The Moltres once again flapped its wings, creating a dazzling flash of flames as a gigantic gust of wind hurled its way towards Douglas.

Hue cringed as his starter pokemon fell to the ground with one fell swoop.

"R-Return…" He said.

Only Akane was left...

"Perhaps it's time to end this…" Chandler sighed as the rain cleared up. "Moltres...Flamethrower all around, if you'd please."

"Gyaaaooohhhh!" Moltres cawed as it shot flames in every direction, and Hue looked on in horror as the entire cavern started to melt due to the intense heat that Moltres was radiating from the flames on its wings.

"Akane Return!" Hue called. Screw this fight...I want to get the hell out of dodge and fast!

But Akane did not return. Instead, Akane began to copy the structure of Moltres's cells in order to transform.

"Hmph…" Chandler humphed.

"Even in death, you both haunt me like ghosts." Hue heard him mumble.

Wait a minute...if Akane isn't scared of Moltres then maybe there is a chance after all!

Maybe it's the intense heat making me think silly thoughts, but it's worth a try!

"Don't be concerned Moltres!" Chandler called out. "Hit it with an Ancient Power!"

"Akane!" Hue called. "Use the same move!"

Both pokemon raised a large amount of rocks into the air with a strange mystical energy, before launching them at each other.

Each attack hit, sending both pokemon flying backwards.

"Wh-wha-?" Chandler looked back at his visibly hurt Moltres, confused beyond belief.

"My father was a trainer for practically all his life…" Hue stated.

Oh my goodness, this heat is making it so hard to concentrate on sounding clever...Hang in there Hue. Hang in there...

"Just like me, Ditto was his favorite pokemon. It stands to reason that if he ever owned one...He would train it to its maximum potential…"

"D-Ditto…" Akane said as they stood back up, their body just as bruised as Moltres's.

"In this sense, right now…" Hue continued. "I have both Gordon Swanson and Akane Muranaka on my side in this fight. If you really wanted to find a way to save your daughter, you wouldn't have subjected the rest of us to DNA you weren't able to remove."

"Oh...I can remove it…" Chandler answered, his head still hung low as Moltres got back up onto its feet and began to glow in a blinding golden light.

"The trouble is the effects of the removal…"

"Akane…" Hue said. "Prepare yourself. It's gearing up for a big attack. Meet it with the same force."

"Ditto." Akane nodded as they too began to glow in a blinding golden light.

"Sky Attack!" Both Chandler and Hue called at the same time.

"Gyaaaoooohhhh!" The Moltres screeched.

"Dittoooo!" Akane answered in a similar voice.

The two pokemon shot themselves at each other and collided head on, creating a large amount of intense heat, and gigantic cloud of dust.

Oh Arceus, this heat is too much...I can feel my sweat sweating it's so hot down here...It's like I have some sort of intense fever…

The dust around the two pokemon settled.

Akane and Moltres were both incredibly bruised, and both panting heavily.

Hue looked on intently to see which of the two would fall first.

Chandler's head was still hanging low.

One of the pokemon fell down and landed with a thud on the cavern floor.

And Akane, unable to stay conscious, reverted back to her Ditto form.

Hue began to pant heavily as he slowly rose a shaking arm to return Akane, his Ditto.

He reached for another pokemon when...

No….

No!...

That was my…

My last….

Hue looked at Chandler.

His head was still hung low.

Hue fell to the ground.

He had no pokemon left who could battle.

Even if he survived whatever Chandler intended to do, he wasn't going to be able to handle himself in Victory Road without any pokemon for protection…

"I'm so sorry, Subject 4." Chandler said as Hue heard the click of a pokeball, and felt footsteps walking towards him.

"Try to relax. It will be over soon."

"Hmph." Hue heard Mewtwo humph before Hue was shot up into the air, choking for a chance to breathe.

He looked down to see Mewtwo holding its paw up to him.

"You were a very good player in this game…" Chandler congratulated him.

"As well as the one that I would have bet my money on...until you figured me out too soon. If only you hadn't discovered my true relationship with Saki….I can't handle a scandal like that getting out while I'm trying to avoid media attention."

Hue tried to respond but he couldn't.

"Hue…" Deus said in his head, creating a pain so intense that Hue nearly broke Mewtwo's psychic grip to scream.

"Listen to me very very carefully." Deus continued. "Think of something. Anything, and focus on it so intensely that you couldn't think of anything else if you tried. That one thought, that single thought, will be able to keep you alive through this…"

Hue didn't have time to ask Deus what he meant, or to argue, or to even think of anything else.

His life was already flashing before his eyes.

Diane's adoption...

Feeding the Nidorino with his dad…

Gloria being born…

News of his dad's death…

The kidnapping incident, with large chunks of it missing because of his repressed memories…

The promise to help Saki obtain a dragonite…

Learning Donovan lived in Fuchsia City…

Heading off to Earl's Pokemon Academy with Diane and Donovan…

Learning Gloria was accepted into Aspertia's Trainer School.

Returning to Kanto and staying at an Inn in Pallet Town, reading to determine which starter pokemon he would choose..

Meeting Professor Oak for the first time…

Choosing Douglas…

Cleaning the lab with Donovan before he rushes out…

The reunion with Saki.

"I assume you want to battle me." He remembered her saying with a coy smile. The first of many he would get so used to. "Or do you just find me that pretty?"

Hue couldn't help, even in his situation, but find it funny that Saki, who knew who Hue was the entire time, chose that as her reunion line.

That was absolutely something she would do.

Before Hue knew it, his mind was flooding with memories of him and Saki and their travels together.

"That the two of us...We're partners from now on Huey!"

"This...is Karakara."

"J-Jigglypuff. I want a Jigglypuff okay?"

"I believe we can do it, Huey...We can break this rock into a million pieces! If anyone can do it, we can!"

"Diane was right, you are oblivious.."

"You're so oblivious, Huey…"

"Huey, how oblivious are you?"

"Maybe you aren't as oblivious as I thought."

"Now let's never talk about this again. Not unless you really want to."

"Huey's my partner! Mine!"

"He's my...Foster Father…"

"You figured it out too, didn't you?"

"You really are oblivious, aren't you Huey?"

"What about me, Huey? It took a lot of courage to even put this on, you know."

"I've decided that if I catch a certain pokemon, I'll name it after you."

"If you're going to stare into space while looking at me, at least make it look like I've captured your attention, and none of your resting derp face!"

"It's alright...Instinct makes us...all do...crazy things...sometimes…"

"Call me when you get to the Indigo Plateau and I'll run to meet you 'k?"

That's right….Saki is expecting me...I can't die here….I'll live...I'll live for-

Hue's mind went blank in the middle of that thought.

As Hue's body fell to the cavern floor, Chandler returned Mewtwo and Moltres.

"I'm sorry." He said again.

He turned to leave.

"I'll come back for your body after the League Tournament concludes, and this whole incident will blow over."

He reached the end of the chamber, when he heard the sound of coughing, and quickly turned back.

Hue's body rose from the ground, still coughing.

Coughing up blood.

"Mewtw-" Chandler was about to send out Mewtwo again, but within an instant, Hue was staring Chandler down.

"Oh...I see…" Chandler said as he averted his gaze and looked back at the ground.

"You will not end my trainer's life." Deus said through Hue's mouth. "Not while I have anything to say about it."

"I was wondering when you would finally appear...Subject 4." Chandler said.

"I am no longer Subject 4." Deus replied. "My name is Deus, and Hubert Swanson is my pokemon trainer, a clever kid who accepted me and even gave me a name, which is far more than you've ever done."

"But…" Chandler's look of sorrow started to dissipate and his more confident and crazed look returned to his ice-blue eyes.

"I did give you the extra DNA." Chandler rose his head back up to look Deus in the eyes.

"If I hadn't done that, with the amount of meteorite cream your trainer's been putting on himself, you would be erased from existence by now."

"You're a threat to my trainer's life…" Deus said, angrily.

"Give me one good reason that I shouldn't kill you right now."

"I'll give you four." Chandler smirked. "I'm the Champion, first off, and an investigation would undoubtedly lead to you as the culprit, and your trainer would spend the rest of his life in prison, assuming he wasn't sentenced to death right away. Reason number two: I'm Saki's biological father. Do you want my blood on your trainer's hands now? Reason number three: I'm the only one who knows the surefire way to get you out of your trainer's body and into your own, and I can't give away that information if I'm dead...and finally, reason number four…"

Chandler snatched Hue's pokedex and began to fiddle with it again. "I'm upgrading the pokedex to complete national so that you can figure out exactly what pokemon you are, and you'll be so distracted by the revelation, that I'll be able to escape with ease."

Chandler held up the upgraded pokedex to Deus.

"[Deoxys]" Dean announced as though Deus was just another pokemon like any others. "The [DNA] Pokemon. A Pokemon that mutated from an extraterrestrial virus exposed to a laser beam. This Deoxy's body is configured for superior agility and speed."

"Speed Forme Deoxys." Chandler said as Deus looked at the wound on Hue's stomach, and realized that it wasn't green anymore, but rather a dark grey, and slightly above it, on his chest, was a perfect purple sphere.

"And that wound…" Chandler gave a quick punch, sending Deus into a complete recoil. "Is your brain, Deus."

"S-Speed Forme…" Deus said to himself as Chandler made his escape, just as he had said he would.

"If I'm Speed Forme...then...Ow…"

He held his stomach. "I'm sure the other subjects are the other three Formes…"

He grabbed Hue's pokedex from the cavern floor, and began to crawl out of the cave.

"Just wait a little longer Hue…" He said.

"Eventually...I should reach the pokemon center…"


	77. And There We Were

Chapter 77:

And There We Were

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Water Pulse, Skull Bash, Iron Defense, Rain Dance

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Helping Hand

Ace(Pidgeot): Roost, Wing Attack, Feather Dance, Mirror Move

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Akane(Ditto): Transform

Gumshoe(Arcanine): Odor Sleuth, Extremespeed, Flare Blitz, Wild Charge

 _ **Indigo Plateau Pokemon Center**_

"Maybe…..leave…." Hue heard a voice say as consciousness slowly returned to him.

"Absolutely not." He heard another one scold. "...H-...up...second now."

"Look…." He heard another voice say. "...Eye….twitched!"

He felt some rush and slam their hands down near him. He had a feeling their face was leaning over his.

"You're right!" He heard the voice say. "Huey?...Hear me?...Huey, can you hear me?..."

Hue began to open his eyes.

He did so slowly. He had no idea how long he'd been out, but they had that gloppy crust that eyes get sometimes, so it must have been a pretty long while.

"Huey!" Diane shouted in his face with a smile as she stood back up, relieved.

"Oh thank goodness you're okay…" Donovan gave a similar relieved sigh.

"Diane….Donovan…?" Hue asked confused.

"Where….am I?"

"The Pokemon Center." Helen Lang announced from the door of the room.

"Specifically, the Indigo Plateau Pokemon Center."

She handed Hue his pokedex.

"And you have some explaining to do."

"Explaining?" Hue asked, incredibly confused.

Helen gave Hue a stare.

"Why does your pokedex have information on-?" Helen began before she was interrupted by the doors to the room Hue was in opening.

"Hello…" Nurse Joy said. "It's about time for you all to get ready…"

"That's right…" Helen sighed. "The banquet…"

"Banquet?" Hue asked.

"She says banquet…" Donovan said. "But it's more like a ballroom dance than anything else. It's for the participants in the Grand Festival."

"Then I should get dressed up." Hue reasoned.

"We'll give you some privacy." Diane said as Nurse Joy ushered everyone out of the room, leaving Hue alone.

When he was sure the door was completely closed, and that everyone was out of earshot, he let out a large scream of pain.

"Damn my head fucking _hurts_!" He slammed a fist into the wall. The pain he felt from the fist was like a refreshing breeze compared to the sting he was feeling inside his head.

"Hue…" Deus's voice echoed clearly through his mind.

"I'm sorry. Things were not looking good inside Victory Road. I had to...take over...for a while. You likely gained control back when I lost consciousness inside the pokemon center. You're bound to still be feeling the…"

"Gahhh!" Hue stomped his foot down in agony.

"...Aftereffects…" Deus replied. "What is the last thing you remember?"

"I...I remember you telling me to focus on a thought...and...and then I sort of wasn't there anymore. But...I feel like I still know what happened…We figured out what pokemon you were, didn't we?"

"Speed Form Deoxys." Deus replied. "It would be reasonable to assume that whenever I made you move quickly, I was using, most likely, Extremespeed."

"And…" Hue held up his hand. "The blast that broke my arm back then?"

"[Psycho Boost]." Dean announced. "A [Psychic] Type move. The user attacks the target at full power. This attack's recoil harshly lowers the user's special attack. This is the signature move of the pokemon Deoxys."

 _A move than only a Deoxys can use…_

"What did Dean say about you?" Hue tried to remember. "I know what happened, but I can't remember anything that was actually said."

"Just that I was made specifically for speed…" Deus answered. "But I feel I should warn you, when I attempted to change forms, I could not. I am stuck in speed forme."

"I wonder…" Hue said as he picked Dean up and flipped through the electronic pages of the pokedex.

 _I'm right…_

 _There are 4 Deoxys Formes…_

 _And there are 4 Subjects…_

 _I wonder if…_

"Deus, remind me to talk to Saki about this in private later." Hue said. "I'm sure she'd love to know the pokemon inside of her as well."

 _ **Grand Festival Banquet Hall**_

"Oh my goodness!" Diane almost swooned as both Hue and Donovan walked up to the entrance hall of the large banquet building in their best dress suits.

"Not only is Huey looking spiffy as shit, but Donnie! When you agreed to come with me to this thing, I didn't think you'd be as dressed up! You're gonna be turning some heads tonight, boys."

 _Not as much as you, Didi…_ Hue thought to himself as he looked over Diane's dress, which was an article of clothing he never expected Diane to wear.

"You look great too." Hue responded politely. "Doesn't she, Don?"

Donovan was trying to agree with Hue, but just kept stumbling over his words.

Hue looked around. "Is Saki here yet?"

"Who?" Diane asked.

"Oh! I...I mean Aura, sorry. Did Aura arrive?"

"She's waiting by the buffet table." Diane laughed. "She's really excited about being here."

"That's a relief." Hue sighed, relieved, as he left Diane and Donovan alone and went inside the main ballroom.

Practically every coordinator Hue had ever met was there, and everyone was dressed up in the classiest suits and dresses he had ever seen. It was almost like a second version of the SS Anne party, except the comparison wasn't doing the Grand Festival justice.

"A lot of people here." Deus said in Hue's mind.

"Yeah…" Hue agreed. "I wonder how we'll be able to make our way to-"

As a new waltz started and hundreds of coordinators paired up with each other, Hue found himself being pulled into the middle of the room by someone.

"Sorry to steal you for the dance like this." Saki winked at Hue as he realized what was going on and began to nervously lead.

"S-Saki…" Hue whispered. "This is actually good timing. I needed to talk to you about something."

Saki gave a disappointed sigh. "Of course you want to talk to Saki…"

"A-are you not Saki?" Hue asked, concerned. "You aren't Chandler are you?"

"No." Saki replied. "To answer both of those questions, Huey. I'm _Aura_. Perhaps you remember me?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, the waltz music began to speed up.

"Okay, whatever. But listen, I know who Chandler is and I know the species of the pokemon inside us!"

"Ahem." Aura coughed. "Let me try this again, Huey, so that you can understand. Right now, you are not talking to your little girlfriend Saki. You're talking to _me._ " Aura tilted her head and gave a coy grin.

"I'm Aura. It's _so_ nice to meet you."

Realizing, finally, what Aura meant, Hue's relief at seeing Saki again turned into a mix of horror and anger.

"Where is she?" He asked. "Put Saki back in control, _now_."

"Oh no, no no…" Aura clicked as the two continued to waltz around the room. "I hate to break it to you Huey, but Saki won't be coming back out."

"Oh yes she will…" Hue said. "Even if I have to-"

"Sorry, Huey!" Aura chimed, interrupting him. "But this reunion was a one-way rendezvous. Out of all the Subjects, we can consider you the _last_ one left alive."

"No!" Hue shouted as they both stopped waltzing. "You're lying! You have to be!"

"Maybe I am, Maybe I'm not...It isn't like you'll ever be able to figure it out." Aura winked, before blowing a kiss and walking off towards the buffet table. "I'll be eating the jumbo Clawitzer if you wanna spend some more time with me, love."

 _That can't be good…_ Hue thought to himself. _Deus...what do we do?_

"My logic tells me that Saki might still be in there somewhere...maybe…" Deus replied to Hue's thoughts. "But I think the only way we'd be able to put her back in control would be to put Aura in a scenario where she loses consciousness."

"But...that could still really hurt Saki…." Hue mumbled anxiously.

"I know, I know!" Deus replied. "That's why I'm thinking! I'll find a way to figure this out, I promise. Just...I need a little time…"

"Well, it isn't like she's going anywhere." Hue sighed.

"Who is going where?" A voice asked from behind Hue's shoulder.

Hue turned around.

It was Helen Lang.

A new waltz song started.

Hue nervously held up an arm gesturing towards the floor.

Helen gave a nurturing smile and took it as the two began to dance.

"Did you take lessons or something?" Helen asked. "I was expecting you to have two left feet, but you're better at this than most people my age…"

"It's a...boring story." Hue said. "I took them with my younger sister, Gloria, when she was too scared to go to her ballroom dance classes alone. It wasn't very fun considering I was the oldest one there."

"I see…" Helen gave a nod. "Now...what were you talking to yourself about just now?"

"Helen...how many Subjects have you found besides me?" Hue asked.

"There's you...Subject 3...and Junny." Helen said. "And Subject 2 is still out there somewhere…"

 _That's what I thought she would say. She probably didn't recognize her because her hair had already changed color by then…_

"No…" Hue answered. "Subject 2 is in this very room." Hue said. "And she's currently enjoying the jumbo Clawitzer right now."

"S-Saki?" Helen asked with a gasp. "But that would mean that she also has-"

"And furthermore…" Hue continued. "I've discovered the pokemon DNA was thas planted in the subjects cerca nine years ago. It's…"

"Excuse me…" A voice said from behind Helen as a pale finger tapped her shoulder.

Hue and Helen turned to see Ethel Ross clad in a slim red dress, wearing her hair down. "May I borrow him for just a moment?"

"O-of course…" Helen said as she handed Hue off to Ethel

Hue felt incredibly awkward about the situation.

There were so many things he needed to ask Ethel.

He probably had more questions for her than for anyone else.

"Hello Hubert Swanson." She said almost as formally as she did the first time that he had met her.

"Hey Ethel…" Hue said. "There are a few questions I kind of need to ask you." He nervously stammered as they danced around the room.

"Ask any questions you might have." Ethel replied.

 _Huh...That's...odd. I would have thought she'd try to avoid them...but…_

"I know you're Subject 3." Hue said. "And I know that your father is Chandler. What I am unsure of right now is whether you are fully human, or just a Deoxys pretending to be one. Could you tell me which one you are?"

"I will not." Ethel replied, keeping a straight face and monotone voice the entire time.

Hue began to ask his next question.

"Nor will I tell you what I know, let alone how long I've known it." She said before he could even ask.

"Then what was that in Cinnabar about Subject 3 being the only one that can defeat Chandler?" Hue asked.

Ethel stayed silent.

"And, this is probably the least important one in terms of solving any mysteries...but...assuming the worst, and that you really _are_ a Deoxys pretending to be Ethel, why did you...I mean why would you and I...you know...um…"

Ethel blinked and Hue waiting for him to finish.

"Back in Pallet Town...Why did you k-."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Ethel finally said, clearly lying and flustered. "I'm sorry…" She broke out of the dance and rushed out of the room. "I...I have to go…"

"Hey, get back here-!" Hue called after her.

He tried to push through the crowds of people to follow Ethel but instead he lost sight of her before he could reach the doors of the ballroom.

"Ugh." He sighed as he sat in a chair.

"Yeah…." Aura said as she sat down next to him. "Meetings with an ex are always awkward like that, aren't they?"

"What do you want?" Hue asked bitterly.

"Well…" Aura's fingers began walking up Hue's arm towards his shoulder. "Considering you're available...and Saki thinks highly of you...and you've got a handsome Deoxys of your own in there…" She said as she turned Hue's head towards hers.

"I think it would benefit all four of us if we were to-"

Something told Hue that if he let Aura continue doing whatever she was doing to him, he'd lose control of his body, so he quickly stood up and backed up.

"Oh...It _does_ hurt in the hear when you reject Saki like that…" Aura said as she stood up.

"I'm not rejecting Saki…" Hue replied. "I'm rejecting _you_."

He pointed towards Aura. "It's _you_ isn't it? Whenever I see Saki making that crazed and vengeful face...that isn't her acting out or having some sort of mood swing...that's _you_ taking her over!"

"Oh-ho-ho...so he's been paying attention after all…" Aura laughed. "You should have seen how heartbroken Saki was when she couldn't return to Kanto with you from the Sevii Islands...it was so _easy_ to take over there...and boy, did I get some _work_ done!"

"The hell kind of pokemon are you?" Hue asked.

"The kind that does what their trainer wants." Aura answered sternly. "Even if their training doesn't have the guts to do it themselves. As much as she may seem to only want to just hang out with you and goof off, Saki still has so much... _so much_...pent-up rage in her towards Chandler for killing her brother, that even though she would never do it by herself, she still wants to see Chandler dead. _I_ on the other hand...I'm not afraid of getting blood on my hands."

She continued to move closer to Hue. "And, heh, as I've said before...I want what my trainer wants."

 _So...that gives me two ways to stop her. Either force Saki back in control and convince her that her brother is still alive, even though I have absolutely no proof to show her...or somehow force Aura out of Saki altogether, thus giving Saki full control of her body, and then most likely defeating Aura herself… And both of these ways involve figuring out how to expel the Deoxys inside ourselves….which no one seems to know...except_ maybe _Ethel, who seems intent on not telling me anything, and_ maybe _Junzo, whose whereabouts are entirely unknown…_

"Wow…" Deus said. "This….This isn't going to be easy is it?"

 _No...it won't…_ Hue thought back. _But...That doesn't mean we can't try our damndest._

"I'll stop you." Hue said. "Because I have the necessary power to be able to directly oppose you. I have a pokemon just as strong as you that also wants what their trainer wants."

"We'll see…" Aura chimed as at the front of the room, Chandler stood up and tapped his glass with a spoon gathering everyone's attention. "Because you'll be starting at a grave disadvantage."

 _Uh-oh…_

"Attention…" Chandler said. "May I please receive everyone's attention?"

Once everyone was giving him their undivided attention, he smiled.

"I have an important announcement to make."

The music died down.

"I...Andle Ross...have taken it upon myself to outfit all of you with national pokedexes, capable of scanning data from any kind of pokemon! Not just the ones in the Kanto Region!"

"Uh-oh…" Hue mumbled as he noticed Aura start to walk towards the front of the room where Chandler was standing.

"Unfortunately…." Chandler continued as he welcomed Aura to the microphone. "It has come to my attention that someone very close, and very dear to this young lady has recently passed away."

A large amount of mumbles began to circle around the room.

"Yet…" Chandler continued with a scowl. "The monster that killed them is now using the deceased's body as a vessel, in order to further the goals of Neo Team Rocket!"

Another large amount of murmurs filled the area.

"And that monster…"

Both Chandler and Aura pointed in unison towards Hue.

"...Is right there!"

Silence.

"Oh come on guys…" Hue turned to everyone he knew. "Most of you know me! I'm not dead, I mean look at me!

Everyone began hurriedly discussing with each other.

"What's the matter?" Chandler asked. "Your pokedexes have all been upgraded. Simply scan him over for all the proof you need!"

 _Oh….Fuckberries…_

"[Deoxys]" Helen's pokedex said as she held it up to Hue, looking angry and disappointed in him

"The [DNA] Pokemon…" Diane's continued as his adopted sister's facial expression turned to one of sheer horror.

"[Deoxys]"

"The [DNA] Pokemon…"

"[Deoxys]"

"[Deoxys]"

Suddenly everyone's pokedexes were all being pointed at Hue.

 _Crap…...This….Can't be good…._

"I hope that you will all help me in bringing the Deoxys that took Huey away from me to justice." Aura spoke out with a sly grin.

She was about to leave when Chandler grabbed her shoulder tightly.

"Not so fast Miss Jones." Chandler announced. "After all…"

Chandler snapped and Nebula Crane was brought in, surrounded by bodyguards.

"A similar Deoxys has taken over another one of the deceased…"

"What is this?" Aura asked, visibly shaken.

She looked at Chandler.

"You _promised..._ let me go! This isn't fair" She whispered harshly.

"I don't have to _be_ fair with a _pawn_." Chandler whispered back.

"But this Deoxys…." Chandler continued to speak out to the people.

"Has committed atrocities that are punishable by death. Mr Crane...could you please point out the second Deoxys here today?"

"R-right n-next t-to you…" The nervous man pointed at Aura.

"[Deoxys], The [DNA] Pokemon."

"[Deoxys]. The [DNA] Pokemon."

"[Deoxys]."

"[Deoxys]."

"[Deoxys]."

Instantly, police began to move towards Aura.

 _No!_

"Saki, No!" Hue screamed out.

"Saki?" Chandler asked with a feign of ignorance. "Could you be referring to the girl who was kidnapped along with her brother Junzo nine years ago and then never seen again? Could it be that they've been committing similar atrocities for a long time? Bipolar Depression _was_ known to run in the Muranaka family after all..."

"I'm Sorry, Hue…" Carmen said as she handcuffed him.

"I really, _really_ wish I could believe you...but the pokedex never lies…You're not going to be returning to your room tonight."

"No!" Hue struggled. He looked around. "Saki and I aren't dead! We're not dead! Didi! Donovan! You gotta believe me! I'm the same as I was back when-"

His friends gave him sorrowful looks before they were pushed away by cops.

Saki, or rather Aura, didn't say anything. For whatever reason she hadn't thought that Chandler would rat her out as well. She just allowed the cops to handcuff her as stared out into space with her mouth slightly open and a hazy look in her eyes.

Carmen, aided by Helen and some other Police officers, dragged a screaming and heavily struggling Hue, and a silent and stunned Aura, out of the ballroom, and threw them into the Indigo Plateau's Holding Center.

"I assure you…" Hue remembered hearing Chandler say as he and Aura were being taken away. "That, if you'd allow it, I have the _perfect_ solution to the Deoxys Problem."

 _If that's true…._ Hue thought to himself. _Then the chances of my plan to bring Saki back are anything but good…_


	78. Hue's Pokemon

Chapter 78:

Hue's Pokemon:

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Water Pulse, Skull Bash, Iron Defense, Rain Dance

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Helping Hand

Ace(Pidgeot): Roost, Wing Attack, Feather Dance, Mirror Move

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Akane(Ditto): Transform

Gumshoe(Arcanine): Odor Sleuth, Extremespeed, Flare Blitz, Wild Charge

Other:

Deus(Deoxys): Psycho Boost, Extremespeed, Recover, Psycho Shift

The morning of the Grand Festival had finally arrived.

Hue sat alone in the holding cell.

Aura was in the cell directly beside his. She seemed to still be sleeping.

Chandler had appeared before the two of them the previous night, and Hue kept replaying what he said to them in his head.

"After careful deliberation, we have decided to allow the two of you to partake in the Grand Festival, and that we would reveal your trial, and hopefully your punishment as well, during the Pokemon League tournament."

"I don't suppose you'd want to fill me in on what that trial and punishment might entail?" Hue had asked.

He had been met with a smirk, a shake of a head, a small chuckle, and a shrug before Chandler waved as disappeared.

"Up!" Hue felt a pain in the back of his head as he came back to reality and noticed that Aura had hit him through the bars dividing their cells.

"Get up! We don't want to be late to the Grand Festival!"

Hue didn't say anything to her.

The Deoxys inside Saki was nothing but trouble. He got up, sure, but he kept his distance from her the entire way to the Indigo Plateau's Contest Hall.

"Hue…." Deus said in the back of Hue's mind.

"The Grand Festival is going to start soon…."

"I know that, Deus…" Hue mumbled back. "What's your point?"

"My point is that you'll be partaking in a lot of contest battles in a rather short period of time, provided you make it past the performance stage. And...speaking from my own experience, it's a lot easier to control you when you're engrossed in the battle than when you aren't. If She isn't eliminated from the tournament quickly, Aura might truly be able to take Saki over completely, if she hasn't already-."

"She hasn't." Hue said without skipping a beat. "I know she hasn't."

Deus was silent.

Hue had a feeling he knew why.

*Aspertia City in Unova*

"Gloria…" Cheren knocked on the door to Gloria's dorm room. "Kanto's Grand Festival is about to start. Your siblings are both participating, do you want to watch?"

"...m….."

"Sorry?" Cheren asked.

Gloria swung her door opened, clutching Bunbun in her arms like a doll and began to walk towards the commons area where a small crowd was gathered around a TV.

"I said...don't mention it to _him_." She repeated. "He calls every day, but I still haven't forgiven him for sending me all the way back here."

"I'm sure he-" Cheren was about to comfort her when-

"Look!" A boy around Gloria's age pointed. "It's a boy version of Gloria on TV!"

"Skye, shush!" Cheren tried to silence the boy.

"Huey!" Gloria, despite herself, excited to see her brother on TV, rushed to the television.

"Hue-...y….." She dropped Bunbun, who landed on the floor elegantly before scurrying around and stopping as they looked to Gloria who was frozen in place.

"The two Deoxys seem to have taken control of a Hubert Swanson and a Saki Muranaka, who seems to have been masquerading under the alias of Aura Jones for roughly nine years now. They've been allowed to take part in the Grand Festival, and, according to Champion Andle Ross, they'll have the opportunity to take part in the Pokemon League Tournament as well. People are still unsure how such a phenomenon has happened, but this footage from the Grand Festival's opening party concludes that indeed, both of these 'people' aren't really people, and most likely haven't been, for quite some time. More on this subject after the Performance Stage, until then, this has been Hecate Poll on your Channel 7 news."

Everyone in the room turned towards Gloria.

Her head was hung low.

She turned around, ran back to her room, and locked the door.

*Indigo Plateau*

"Welcome, Kanto, to the 37th annual Kanto Grand Festival!" The announcer exclaimed. "Today marks day 1 of an exciting marathon of spectacular contest performance! If you're pumped let me hear you cheer!"

"WOOOOO!" The audience erupted into applause.

"That's the spirit!" The announcer congratulated them. "And for those of you at home, watching your loved one's participate, don't feel too alienated from the rest of us. Returning from last year's Grand Festival we have included the "That's My Boy/That's My Girl" segment into our official app! Go ahead and enter the code your given when you see your child or loved one up on screen to let the world know who you're rooting for! And because of the large monitor here the stadium, we'll all see it too! Give your loved ones the support they need!"

"Awwwww!" The audience swooned.

"Now...without further ado, let's introduce our all-star judges for this spectacular event! In a normal contest, we'd have three judges, but for an event as big as the Grand Festival, where even the tiniest decimal of a point can make or break your chance at the Kanto Cup and title of Top Coordinator, we've decided that we need five judges, and here they are!"

A panel on the stage opened up and the judges rose into view.

The announcer began to name a bunch of judges that Hue felt were _probably_ big on the coordination scene, but he didn't personally recognise any of them.

"Where's Wallace?" He asked.

"Wallace is busy in Hoenn, most likely." Aura said with a shrug.

"I wasn't talking to you." Hue said bitterly.

"Well, who _were_ you talking to?" Aura asked with a coy smile as she gestured around the waiting room and Hue noticed the mixture of nervous and evil stares that both of them were getting.

"I guess myself." Hue said. "I don't want to associate with you."

"Aww…." Aura mockingly put a hand to her heart. "Your refusal of me hurt Saki's hear even _more_ the second time…"

"There's no way Saki would disapprove of me refusing you." Hue said. "I'm going to find a way to separate you from her body forever. I don't care how dangerous for me it is. I promise you that I'll find a way."

"Oooh…." Aura raised an eyebrow. She looked into Hue's eyes, or perhaps more accurately, _through_ Hue's eyes, and began to speak again.

"You hear that Deus, love? He said it himself. He doesn't care if he gets hurt. So why don't you tell him how he can separate the two of you first, hmm?"

 _Wait, do you even know?_ Hue thought to Deus.

"I'm sorry…" Deus replied. "I...I cannot tell you right now. Not while there's still a chance that it can be avoided…"

"You mean you _do_ know?!" Hue asked in complete surprise.

"I am your pokemon after all." Deus said. "I know exactly how you can relieve me of my service to you, but as i've said before...That won't happen unless I'm certain there's nothing else we can try…"

"There there…." Aura ran a hand down Hue's shivering face.

"Neither of you need to worry. I'm here for you, after all…"

"I'd really wish you weren-agghh…"

Hue felt a pain in his head.

"Don't try to resist it…." Aura smirked. " _Either_ of you…"

Hue could feel himself weakening mentally.

"But I think it would hardly be fair if I was the _only_ one who's really a Deoxys controlling a human body...don't you agree, Deus dear?"

Deus blinked rapidly as he looked around.

He clenched his hands…

No...No that wasn't right. These hands weren't his…

These were _Hue's_ hands.

"What did you do?" Deus asked Aura frantically.

"I simply gave you the mental control you needed." Aura said with a smirk as she ran her hand down his face and left his chin finger by finger.

"And now that we're in the same boat...I was thinking we could get to know each other a bit better."

Aura led Deus towards the changing rooms.

"The hell are you doing?" Deus asked, though he wasn't putting up resistance.

"Don't fight it." Aura said with a smile. "You want it to happen too. Don't you also feel like-"

Thankfully, before Aura could continue what she was planning, the Performance Round started, and both Deoxys went to the nearest monitor to watch.

The first round of the Performance Stage was arguably the hardest part of the entire Grand Festival. Your pokemon was only allowed to use a single move, like in the more recent contests, except that this time, if they failed, they were done for good. There would be no more chances to win ribbons, and the coordinator who lost would have to win five ribbons all over again.

Deus watched as coordinator after coordinator that he'd never seen before went up with performances ranging from atrocious to spectacular.

Eventually, people he knew began going up.

Carmen's Pidgeot Mega Evolved in a Featherdance.

Monica's Jynx wooed the audience over by using what was likely a combination of Fake Tears, and years of acting experience.

Diane's Onix captured the attention of the audience with a Dragonbreath.

Cherry's Persian showered itself and the audience with Pay Day.

Sierra's Starmie created an incredible show using Swift.

Omar's Rapidash created an alluring fire show by galloping around the stage.

Lindsey's Noctowl gained attention by flying through it's own Hypnosis rings while doing tricks in the sky.

Ethel's Glaceon created an interesting Hail storm that drove attention in its direction.

Helen's Tangrowth mystified everyone with an Ancient Power.

Davon's Poliwrath shocked everyone with a powerful Focus Punch.

Karen's Leafeon entranced the audience with a Grass Whistle.

Aura's, or more accurately Saki's Dragonair controlled by Aura, wooed the audience over with a Dragon Dance.

Twilight's Fearow and it's Mirror Move, time so that it copied the Dragon Dance perfectly, really stole the show that round.

Deus however, paid none of the single moves any real mind, and when he went up himself, he simply had Douglas use some Water Pulse fireworks, since it looked like something the audience would have loved to see, and sure enough, not only he, but practically everyone he knew, and more, made on to the Second section of the Performance Stage.

"In this section of the Performance Stage," The announcer said. "Coordinators will use any two of their pokemon and work together to give a great performance worthy of the Grand Festival!"

"Wooooo!" The audience cheered.

Deus nodded, and thought about what he wanted to do.

"Deus!" Hue yelled inside his head. "Deus can you hear me?"

"Hue?" Deus asked.

"Deus, how do I take control back?"

"I don't know! I wouldn't still be in control if I knew how to give it back to you!" Deus said. "Last time you took control back, I was knocked out!

"Well now...I don't want to get knocked out _again_." Hue said. "It happens too often to me. Hopefully we can figure something out soon though. I have a feeling that Aura put you in control for a reason, and whatever that reason is, it's most likely detrimental to _our_ goal of exorcising her from Saki's body."

"True." Deus agreed. "But we shouldn't talk about Aura like she's some sort of demon…" Deus said. "She's-"

"She's a monster that's already _killed_ a bunch of people!" Hue exclaimed. "What do you want me to call her instead? Fluffy?"

"No, I'm not saying she hasn't done terrible things, but Hue, I think it's important to remember that you were given _extra_ Deoxys DNA back in Cinnabar all those years ago. "I have a better sense of self, and grasp of morality, than the other Subjects…Aura, PJ, they're both...incomplete...and they know this and are likely both angered and upset by the confusion that stems from it. You might see a monster there but to me...I see someone who needs my help. It's like I don't know...I can-"

"You can sense it in her heart." Ethel's voice said as she appeared behind Deus as performances began to occur.

"You…." Deus said, uneasy. "I'm not sure how I feel about you…"

Ethel gave a weak smile. "Don't worry Deus…" She said. "I'm here to help you, but for that to happen, you're going to have to convince Hue to give you full control of his body for now."

 _Did you hear that?_ Deus thought to Hue.

Deus could still sense Hue's presence for a moment, as though Hue was hesitating to trust anything anyone was saying, until finally, his presence left Deus's mind.

"And give it up for Helen and her Slowbro and Tangrowth's spectacular performance!" The judge judging Deus's block of coordinators said with excitement.

"Next up, we have Hubert Swanson!"

As Deus took the stage, He could hear the crowd booing him.

He gave a sigh. He had learned everything, the truth about Cinnabar, the Deoxys Incident, all of it. Ethel knew all of it. Now he did too, and he needed to find a way to bring Hue back into control of his body. The plan Ethel had for fixing everything wouldn't be able to succeed if Deus was the one in control, but Deus was having trouble finding Hue inside his consciousness. He was afraid, afraid that when Hue disappeared, he might have _actually_ disappeared...

"Go!" He called out, still slightly lost in thought. "Gumshoe and Arthur!"

"Arcanine!" Gumshoe roared out majestically.

"Gallade!" Arthur announced as he extended an elbow blade of his.

Deus smirked as practically everyone in the audience cheered at the mere entrance of his pokemon.

Arthur was riding Gumshoe much like a cavalier about to enter a battle.

"Gumshoe, Flare Blitz!, and Arthur, use Swords Dance!" Deus called out.

"Arrrrrcaniine!" Gumshoe began to charge around the stage, while Arthur performed complex sword techniques, manipulating the flames to create pictures of a large war-like battle between various pokemon and their trainers.

The audience was losing their minds.

For a small while, Deus almost thought that they had forgotten he was a Deoxys in a human's body, until Aura took the stage right after him.

They booed and heckled her at the beginning as well, until she won them over with a dance between Sirius, Saki's Umbreon, and Huey, Saki's Dragonair.

Deus sat by himself for the rest of the Performance Round, thinking about what Ethel had told him.

If he was to believe her, then…

"What should I do?" He looked up and asked no one in particular.

"Hue!" A stage manager called to Deus. "A friend is here who wants to talk to you!"

Deus, confused, got up from the bench he was sitting on, and followed the stage manager to a small room, where Donovan Key was waiting.

"Hi Hue." He said, sort of formally.

"Donovan…" Deus began to explain. "I can-."

"No, you don't need to explain anything." Donovan shook his head. "I came to apologize. I was at that party, and I should have spoken up on your behalf."

"Don't say that." Deus shook his head. "I'm sure Hue- I mean, _I_ wouldn't be very happy if you ended up in the same position that I'm in right now."

"You don't get it!" Donovan slammed his fist on the table. "It's not just about your happiness! It's about everyone! You really needed a friend back there, and no one, not even Diane, came to your aid, because of some shit some shitty red ebook said….And...I can understand how that must feel."

He looked away nervously and scratched his chin.

"Well...maybe not the pokedex part...but the point is that I was in that position once, a long time ago, and my best friend at the time didn't stand up for me. So I want you to know that right now, I'm choosing to believe in you."

"Donovan…" Deus said. He didn't think he had the heart to tell Donovan that Hue really wasn't in control of his body, but then Donovan said something that Deus didn't expect.

"I believe in you, no matter whether you're a human or a Deoxys pretending to be one, or in control of one, or anything like that. Because from any way I look at it, you're still my friend. The friend I made after being kidnapped, and the friend I went to Earl's Pokemon Academy with. You're my best friend, and whether you're Hue, or something else, nothing will change that."

He paused, and looked up at the ceiling.

"I've given it a lot of thought," He continued. "And I've come to the conclusion that whatever it is you're trying to do must be the right thing, and while I might not understand much of what's going on, I do want to help you however I can. We're friends to the end, all right?"

"Thank you, Donovan." Deus said as he held out a hand for Donovan to shake. "Hue would have been beside himself with joy to hear you say that."

Donovan's eyebrows rose in slight surprise, but they calmly came back down, and Donovan smiled with a nod as he shook Deus's hand.

"I'll find a way to free both him and that Saki girl. I'll let you know when I come across something, my friend."

And with that said, Donovan was off.

Deus smiled.

 _You've made some incredibly good friends, Hue..._

After all the performances were taken care of, Deus looked up at the screen of monitors.

"Alright, Kanto, let's see who our lucky 16 are!" The announcer said as she pointed to the large monitor on the stage.

1*Monica Wright*

2*Twilight Church*

3*Davon Le Rouge*

4*Ethel Ross*

5*Signia Summer*

6*Arolina Autumn*

7*Helen Lang*

8*Diane Dorsey*

9*Cherry Devonshire*

10*Saki Muranaka*

11*Carmen Yiddle*

12*Lindsey Bailey*

13*Sierra Randolph*

14*Omar Murray*

15*Karen Walls*

…

...

16*Hubert Swanson*

Deus breathed a sigh of relief. He and Hue had made it. _I wish you could see this right now, Hue..._ He thought to himself, hoping Hue's consciousness would come back. _We're really here…_

And then, almost as if the heavens itself were against them, the first round battles were decided.

Deus looked for Hue's picture, and found it at the very end.

Hubert Swanson

VS

Saki Muranaka

This would likely be Deus's and Hue's one and only chance to free Saki from Aura, but…

Deus was having trouble even waking Hue up.


	79. Deus VS Aura

Chapter 79:

Deus VS Aura

Deus's Current Team:Douglas(Blastoise): Water Pulse, Skull Bash, Iron Defense, Rain Dance

Akane(Ditto): Transform

Vasquez: Horn Attack, Stomp, Bulldoze, Smack Down

Gordon: Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Bruce: Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

Betruger: Constrict, Peck, Tackle, Reflect

Other:

Himself: Psycho Boost, Extremespeed, Recover, Psycho Shift

"And now, we begin the first round of the Battle Stage of the Grand Festival!" The announcer exclaimed to the cheering audience on the monitors as Deus tried desperately to search Hue's psyche for a way to put him back in control.

"I….I can't…" Hue said. It had been long enough that Deus could find Hue's consciousness again, but according to Hue, he wasn't mentally focused enough to take control back yet.

"Well...I don't know how you're going to separate Saki and Aura if you're trapped in there…" Deus mumbled up to him.

"Well…I do have an idea…" Hue said. "But it's really... _really_ risky...and we won't be able to put it into action until our fight anyways."

"Alright then…" Deus sighed. "I guess for now the best we can do is calm down and watch the other battles."

Hue agreed with him.

"And now…" The announcer said. "For our first battle! Please put your hands together for Diane Dorsey and Carmen Yiddle!"

Diane VS Carmen

Under Diane's picture were both Hue's and Donovan's faces, as Deus and Donovan had both used the feature of supporting your family members to give Diane their support.

Under Carmen's picture was a picture of a woman Deus assumed to be her mother, as well as a picture of Helen.

"Go!" Diane called as she sent out her two pokemon. "Charolette and Chusie!"

"Chaaaaaa!" Her Charizard roared.

"Raiiii!" Her Raichu smirked.

"In that case…:" Carmen smirked, "Go! Flareon and Diglett!"

"Flaaareon…" Her Flareon announced.

"Diglett, Diglett" Her Diglett bobbed up and down.

"We all know how contest battles work by now!" The announcer called out, "No need to explain the rules ref, but just in case, let's go over them one more time!"

"This will be a 2 on 2 double battle! The battle will be over when either coordinator runs out of points, either side has both of their pokemon faint, or time runs up!" The ref said. "Trainers, are you ready?"

"Oh yeah." Diane answered. "I've wanted to fight this chick for a long time…"

"I'm ready as well." Carmen stated. "But I was hoping for a more challenging opponent."

"Battle, Start!" The referee stated as they swung their arm down.

"Diglett, use Mud Bomb!" Carmen shouted out. "Flareon, Attract!"

"Diggggg!" Diglett shot a large blob of Mud towards Chusie."

"Flaaaaa!" Flareon began to wink at Charolette.

"Chusie, quick, use Dig!" Diane countered. "Charolette, stay there and use Flamethrower on Diglett!"

"Raiii!" Chusie dug under the ground just in time to avoid the large Mud Bomb, and Charolette remained unaffected by the Attract attack.

"A female Charizard?" Carmen wondered aloud.

"Chaarrrr!" Charolette's Flamethrower hit Diglett head on.

"What the?" Carmen asked in disbelief as her point bar dropped. "Diglett, are you okay?"

'Diglett…" Her Diglett answered, still holding on.

"Since when did you dodge attacks?"she asked Diane

:"Since this is the Grand freaking Festival, that's when!" Diane said. "Now, Chusie!"  
Chusie jumped up from the ground behind Carmen's Flareon.

"Thunderbolt!"

"Chuuu!" Chusie exclaimed as she shot a Thunderbolt at Flareon.

"Flareon, counter with Flamethrower"

"Charolette, use Smokescreen!"

"Charrrr!" Charolette puffed out a large cloud of smoke, surrounding Flareon.

Chsuie's Thunderbolt hit Flareon with precision, clearing the smoke away and revealing a defeated Flareon. Carmen's points dropped even more.

"Flareon is unable to battle." The referee stated. "Carmen is down to only Diglett…"

"Fissure!" She yelled.

"Diiiiggglet!" The Diglett shouted as the ground on the stage opened up and shook Chusie out of consciousness. Diane's points dropped lower.

'Raichu is unable to battle." The referee announced. "Diane is down to only Charizard. Both trainers are down to their last pokemon!"

"And it looks like Time's running out as well!" The announcer said.

"Arrgggh!' Diane yelled. "Charolette, use Blast Burn!"

"Chaaaaaarrrrrr!" Charolette roared as an intense amount of fire was shot in Diglett's direction.

"Diglett…" Carmen said with a confident smirk . " _Protect_."

Diglett shielded itself with a green forcefield just as the fire hit, causing it to look like Diglett was trapped in some sort of chinese lantern.

The audience cheered with enthusiasm. Diane's points went down.

"Now, Diglett!" Carmen called out. "Use Rock Tomb!"

"Dig...lett!" Diglett announced as it shot a large rock in Charolette's direction.

"Charolette…" Diane gave Carmen the same confident smirk.

"Fly."

Carmen's pupil's shrank and shook.

"No…" She said as Charolette took to the air, and the large rock broke on the ground, causing Carmen's points to fall further. "Where….where did you learn that move? That's a Hidden Machine move. Only a select few people can-..."

"I happen to know a few." Diane smiled brightly. "It looks like…." She said as the timer buzzed.

Everyone could see that Diane had more points left than Carmen.

"Your hubris was your downfall."

"This is Tauros shit…" Carmen took off her large red sunhat and crushed it in her hands. "I lost in the first round of the Battle Competition? To _you_? The Coordinator who until now only ever won by overpowering her opponents?"

"Congratulations on your win, Diane!" The announcer said as she handed Diane a microphone. "Is there anything you want to say to anyone?"

"Yes." Diane said into the microphone.

"I want to address my younger sister, Gloria. She should be in Unova right about now. I really hope she's watching this…"

Deus could feel Hue's mental power getting stronger as Diane continued with her speech.

"Glorylocks, if you're watching this, you might have seen something that led you to believe Huey is dead. I want to assure you that this isn't the case. He's still alive, and he needs our help and support more than ever right now. I promise that after this is over, we'll be able to explain everything to you, but for now, even if you can't trust him, at least trust me. We worry about you every day, and can only imagine the type of stress you might be under, so please, at the very least, don't give up on your family. We love you."

"What a lovely speech!" The announcer said. "Gloria, wherever you are, I hope you heard that."

Lindsey VS Ethel

After Monica's battle with Arolina was over, and Monica had won in a flawless victory, it was time for Lindsey Bailey to battle Ethel Ross.

Lindsey had sent out her Shuckle and Noctowl.

Ethel had sent out her Ninetails and her Glaceon.

"Coordinators, are you ready?" The ref asked.

Both women nodded in silence.

"Battle, Start!" The ref threw their hand down.

"I'm so pumped for this…" Lindsey said excitedly. "If I beat you, The rest of this contest will be smooth sailing."

"I can sense the ambition in you." Ethel softly smiled back. "But I shall not lose before my task is completed here."

"Noctowl!" Lindsey called out. "Use Air Slash on Glaceon!"

"Ninetails!" Ethel announced in her firm but monotone voice as she pointed. "Use Quick Attack on Noctowl! Glaceon, use Hail! If we're going to take an Air Slash, might as well make it look beautiful!"

"Tails!" Ethel's Ninetails quickly rammed into Noctowl, before retreating to behind Glaceon.

Lindsey's points began to drop.

"Noctowl!" Noctowl shot an Air Slash towards Glaceon, who yawned as Hail began to fall.

Glaceon then danced around the Air Slash as it set the Hail around in a beautiful circle. It looked almost as if Glaceon was controlling where the Hail around it was falling with its dance.

Lindsey lost even more points.

"Glaceon's special ability is Snow Veil." Ethel informed Lindsey. "When it's Hailing, Glaceon is much harder to hit with attacks."

"But there is a downside…" Lindsey said as Ethel's Ninetails cringed at the Hail along with both Shuckle and Noctowl."

"True…" Ethel nodded, "But even as Ninetails loses points from the hail... _both_ your pokemon have the same problem. And Ninetails has another trick up her sleeve…"

Ethel nodded at her Ninetails.

"Ninetails…." Ninetails announced as she yawned and all the Hail disappeared and glistened in the bright sunlight.

"Ninetails knows Sunny Day." Ethel finished.

Lindsey looked up as she lost even more points, while Ethel regained the points she lost.

"Now…" Ethel said. "Is Shuckle just going to sit there all battle? Or is he going to do something?"

"Shuckle!" Lindsey said. "Use Rock Slide!"

"Shucccckle!"

"Ninetails, Confuse Ray. Glaceon, Attract." Ethel announced before the Shuckle could summon the rocks.

"Shuuuu-uuckle…" Shuckle looked around, disoriented and confused, occasionally blushing as it looked at Ethel's Glaceon.

"Come on, Shuckle!" Lindsey said as she looked at her points going down and time running our. "Use Rock Slide on them. It'd be more than enough…"

But it was too late.

Bzzzzt.

Lindsey was all out of points.

"That's exactly why I didn't want you to use it." Ethel stated. "But I think I've figured out why you lost so easily."

"Why is that?" Lindsey asked.

"You were too excited. You got carried away by thinking about who you were battling against, and as a result, you only focused on one of your pokemon at a time. While that might work in a single battle, like the League, it serves as a terrible disadvantage here."

"I see…" Lindsey said. "I suppose I'll have to work on that for the next time we battle each other."

"Oh…" Ethel looked away. "While I would welcome such an occurrence, I find it highly unlikely that I'll have time to battle anybody after this is all said and done. This could very well be the last time the two of us see each other. I wish I could have gotten to know you better."

"But I'm in the League too, won't we see each other then?"

"Perhaps…" Ethel conceded. "But I find it unlikely we will be pitted against each other."

"Is it just me?" Hue asked Deus. "Or does Ethel sound sort of...different?"

"I thought she always talked rather formally…" Deus shrugged.

"No I mean….She's talking a lot more than usual."

"She's getting closer…." Aura said from behind Deus, scaring the daylights out of him. "She's excited about being able to reach her goal, whatever it is."

"What are you doing here?" Deus asked.

"You know what I'm doing here." Aura replied. "You know better than anyone what I want, Deus, and I know you want the same thing."

"Well even if we do want the same thing…" Deus said. "We can't use our trainers like this...it's indecent and it's only doing them harm."

"Tch." Aura clicked her tongue and looked away. "You're too whole to understand."

"You're not whole enough." Deus replied. "That's why you're the one who doesn't understand."

"We'll settle this on the battlefield then." Aura shrugged. "I suppose, for now, you can watch the rest of the first round in peace."

Deus turned back to the monitors to see that Davon had already won against Signia during his conversation with Aura, and that Karen had completely destroyed Sierra.

Now...it was Helen Lang VS Omar Murray.

Helen VS Omar

Helen had sent out her Tangrowth and Slowbro.

Omar had sent out Magmar and a Fire type pokemon that Deus and Hue had never seen before.

Deus rose his pokedex up to the monitor.

"[Torkoal]. The [Coal] Pokemon." Dean stated. "Torkoal burns coal within its body to produce energy. As a defense, Torkoal is able to release smoke from its nostrils and its back to confuse enemies."

"I hope you realize that not everyone battle based on the pokedex, Deus…" Hue said. "It's sort of a quirk I have, but I think most trainers just...battle...you know?"

"I just had a feeling that you'd want to learn about it." Deus said. "Was I wrong?"

"No…"

"Then focus on taking control back while I enjoy the battle."

"Coordinators...are you ready?"

"Ready!" Both Coordinators said at the same time.

"Battle...Start!"

"Tangrowth, Ancient Power on Magmar!" Helen shouted out right away.

"Slowbro, use Water Pulse on the same pokemon!"

"Torkoal, use Sunny Day!" Omar announced.

"Magmar, use Fire Punch on Tangrowth!"

"Maggg…" Magmar's Fire Punch was the first attack to land, sending Tangrowth stumbling back.

Helen lost a few points.

Water Pulse was the next attack to hit, causing a flurry of steam to rise up from the now staggering Magmar.

Omar lost a few points.

Ancient Power was next, a bunch of rocks barraged Magmar and created what looked like a primitive chimney due to the steam still rising.

Helen gained some points back as Omar lost even more of his.

Then the Sunny Day struck and the steam began to evaporate to reveal that Magmar was still holding in inside the rock chimney.

"Flamethrower!" Omar called out.

Magmar shot a Flamethrower through the hole of the Ancient Power chimney, and Omar started to regain points thanks to his fire fountain.

"Torkoal!' He announced. "Use Fire Blast on Tangrowth!"  
"Tangrowth!" Helen called out. "Use Slam on Magmar! Slowbro, use Heal Pulse on Tangrowth!"

"Growth!" Helen's Tangrowth shouted as it rammed into the trapped Magmar, burying the pokemon in the Ancient Power rocks, just in time to get hit by both a Fire Blast and Heal Pulse at the same time.

Helen's and Omar's points both remained in a state of flux, until finally, Helen's Slowbro ran out of energy, and Tangrowth was knocked back by Torkoals Fire Blast.

"Tangrowth is unable to battle." The ref stated. "Helen is down to just Slowbro."

"Magmar is also unable to battle…" The ref said after looking in the chimney and seeing an unconscious Magmar. "Omar is down to just Torkoal."

Both Coordinators looked up at their points.

It seemed neck and neck right now.

It was at that very moment, that Omar did something strange.

He rose his hand.

"I surrender." He said.

"You _what_?" Helen asked.

"It's clear to me that I'm not going to win this contest. Torkoal was only here to support Magmar. The most he can do is use smoke and hope that you don't hit him, but that's not visually appealing so it would cost me points, and I'm sure you've worked a way around that anyway, so even if I did manage to keep my points, Torkoal would only end up fainting. To make things perfectly clear, if even 1 percent of me thought I could win, I would keep going, but I know I won't be able to, so let's just call it here."

"I….I don't know what to say…" The announcer said. "It's not unheard of for participants in the League to surrender, but the Grand Festival? I think we might have just made history folks…"

"That kid's a strange one…" Helen mumbled to herself

Cherry VS Twilight.

The penultimate match of the first round was Cherry Devonshire VS Twilight Church.

Victor's picture appeared under Cherry's portrait indicating his support. Morren's picture quickly followed suit.

Gregory Church, the janitor at Silph Co, had his picture appear under Twilight's portrait.

Then the second strange thing of the day happened.

Freddie's picture appeared under Twilight's portrait as well.

"Hunh…" Deus said. "Hey Hue, do you want to-?"

"Sure, why not?" Hue shrugged. Deus nodded.

Hue's picture appeared below Twilight's portrait.

Deus could see Twilight's confused and embarrassed face on the monitor.

"I think it might have confused her more than helped." He said.

"Coordinators...send out your pokemon!" The ref announced.

Cherry sent out her Persian and Sandslash.

Twilight sent out her Fearow and Scyther.

"Battle, Start!" All three of them announced at the same time.

"I never thought I'd be going up against you like this." Twilight admitted to Cherry.

"Me neither…" Cherry said back. "But I intend to win! Persian, use Slash on Scyther! Sandslash, use Rollout on Fearow!"

"Perrrrrsian!" Cherry's Persian dashed towards Twilight's Scyther.

"Scyther!' Twilight called out. "Use Double Team! Fearow, use Mirror Move on Scyther!"

"Scyyyythaaa!" Scyther announced as it made multiple illusory copies of itself, causing Cherry's Persian to slash the wrong one, sending Cherry's point bar down.

"Fearoooooowwww!" Fearow called out as it copied Scyther to a T, creating illusory copies of its own self, causing Sandslash to Rollout into a fake.

Cherry's points dropped down again.

"Persian!" Cherry called out. "Use Power Gem on the Scythers! Sandslash, you use-"

"Fearow!' Twilight called out. "Mirror Move on Persian!"

The Power Gems collided in midair, but the many more created by Twilight's Fearow's many illusory copies clearly outmatched Cherry's Persian's.

Cherry lost even more points.

"Sandslash!" Cherry called out. "Use Sandstorm! They can't keep up their Double Team if they're hit!"

"Sandslash!" Sandslash whipped up a vicious Sandstorm, damaging Twilight's pokemon, and Persian, as well as obscuring the view that the audience had.

"And that's match." Twilight grinned.

"You got so caught up in doing damage to me, you forgot all about the points. You just blocked the audience's view to the contest. They can't see what's going on, and when they can't see what's going on…"

Bzzzzzzzt.

The Buzzer sounded.

"Look at that folks!" The announcer exclaimed. "Cherry Devonshire has run out of points!"

"N-No!" Cherry's pupils shrank. "How can this happen to me? You….You….you're supposed to be the worse coordinator!"

Twilight gasped.

She hadn't expected to hear that.

"You mean...you only hung around me...because you thought it helped your own image?"

Cherry didn't answer.

"Well, whatever then." Twilight humphed. "You can keep Victor for all I care. I never want to see either of you again!"

She ran off the stage before the announcer could congratulate her.

"Twilight…" Deus heard Hue say under his breath.

"Should we go look for her?" He asked.

"No." Hue replied. Deus nodded and turned towards Aura as Hue continued to talk.

"There's someone more important to me that needs to be comforted right now."

"Are you sure about the plan you thought up?" Deus asked. "Aura might not do the-"

"She'll do it if she sees us do it." Hue said. "Like you say, the two of you are my and Saki's pokemon. You'll do what we want."

"Right." Deus nodded. "But...How will you get back in control?"

"I'll think of a way." Hue said, determined.

Saki VS Hue

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, Pokemon and Trainers, welcome to the final match of the first round of the Grand Festival!" The announcer exclaimed.

"This is an incredibly unique show. The two Coordinators you see before you may look human, but they're actually both the pokemon Deoxys, or at the very least, have Deoxys inside them! It's sure to make for an interesting match!"

Deus could hear half of the crowd booing while the other half gave small and unhelpful cheers.

"Wow…" Aura said. "Talk about a tough crowd. You'd think they'd be more excited for this kind of thing."

"Well, it's not like this is the League Finals or anything like that." Deus shrugged. "It's the first round of the Battle Competition of the Grand Festival."

"Yes...A shame that you haven't had enough time to think about how to steal Saki back from me before she's gone forever, huh Deus?"

"You're wrong." Deus said. "Both Hue and I have had more than enough time."

"C-Coordinators…" The ref stammered. "S-send out your p-pokemon.."

"If you really wish me to." Deus sighed, to both the ref and to Hue, for thinking up this plan.

Deus took out all six of his pokeballs.

"What's he doing?" The announcer asked. "You can only use tw-"

"Shhh." Deus put a finger to his lips as he turned and rolled the pokeballs towards the announcer. "Take care of them for me. This might get...intense…"

Then, Deus stepped out onto the battlefield.

"I choose you, Deus!" He said.

"What about your second pokemon?" The ref asked.

"Ref…" Deus said. "I have elected to only use myself in this contest battle."

"Interesting…" Aura smirked.

She too put all her pokeballs on the floor and walked onto the battlefield.

"Then I'll do the same. Thank you so much Deus, for the free pass to bring myself closer to completion."

"You misunderstand what this battle is about…" Deus said, looking up at the monitor.

"I guess...Battle...Start!" The ref said, still nervous.

"Alright then!" Aura exclaimed as she began to charge Deus.

"Here I come!"

Deus gulped, hoped Hue knew what he was doing, and charged in as well.

"Hhuupp!" Aura tried to kick Deus off his feet but he managed to dodge with his superior speed.

Still, Aura's strength made a rather large dent in the stage.

The audience began to go quiet and watch intently.

"So that's it…" Deus mumbled to Hue. "She's an Attack Forme Deoxys so she'll be using offensive techniques."

"And you're Speed Forme." Hue said. "Which means we need to use Speed to out maneuver her."

"Outmaneuver _her_?" Deus asked.

"No offense Hue, but she's rather good at maneuvering. She's small, fast, and flexible, and while I can make you fast...you certainly aren't the other two…"

"Ohhh? A conversation without me? That's just rude, Deus dearest…" Aura said as she shot what Deus knew was a Psycho Boost at him.

"Haaagggh!" Deus shot his own Psycho Boost back at Aura's.

The two collided in the air and exploded, sending an incredibly strong gust of wind through the stadium.

All of the balloons popped. Paper signs that fans had brought were shredded up, the entire place looked like a football stadium the morning after the superbowl. Full of trash and people who were unsure if they still wanted to be there.

"Holy Mother of Mew!" The announcer exclaimed. "These two really _are_ pokemon!"

"Why can't you just accept your fate?" Aura asked Deus as she gave lunge after lunge for him.

He dodged each one, albeit only barely, while keeping one eye on Aura and one eye on the monitor the entire time.

"I have accepted my own fate." Deus replied.

"It's just not the fate _you_ have in mind!"

Deus punched the ground with all his might, creating a small tremor that managed to trip Aura.

"Cute." Aura said as she got up and dusted herself. "But I won't be defeated that easily.

"Come on...what's taking so long?" Deus quietly asked Hue.

"Just hold your own out there for a little longer…." Hue pleaded.

"Well, it's getting tiring to run around like this and also keep myself from actually hurting my opponent…"

 _Hurting my opponent….._

"Ah!" Hue gasped. "That's it! You don't need to do anything!"

"What do you mean?" Deus asked as he dodged another jab from Aura.

"Deus, I'm not having much fun, dearest." Aura pouted at him.

"Come on, don't you want to defeat me?"

"I'd love nothing more than to defeat you." Deus said. "But I promised Hue that I would help him free Saki, and there won't be as good a chance as this…"

"You say that…" Aura said with a smirk as she charged up what looked like a Zap Cannon.

"But you'll change your mind after you're hit by this bad boy… Huuuup!"

She brought her hands up.

"Haaaaa!" She shot the Zap Cannon towards Deus.

Deus was about to run when Hue shouted at him.

"Deus, face it head on!"

Deus did what his trainer had told him, and ran towards the attack.

"Haaaaaahhhh!"

 _I can't believe I'm doing this. If I take the brunt of that attack, I'm likely to lose consciousness and the match, along with the only way to save Saki from Aura...but Hue told me to do this anyways, why did-?_

"W-Wha-?" Aura gave a shocked expression as the Zap Cannon opened itself up around Deus and allowed him to pass through, unscathed.

"Th-that shouldn't have happened!"

"Now!" Donovan called from the crowd.

Instantly, images of nearly every trainer Hue had ever encountered on his travels flooded the screen under his portrait.

"Gaaaaaahhh!" Deus said in agony as he felt Hue regaining mental control over his body.

"I can...feel our...friends'...support…." Hue managed to say through his own lips again.

"I just need...a little….more…"

"Aggggghh!" Aura shrieked. "You will not impede my progress again you meddle some human!"

She began to charge towards a still disoriented Hue.

"I will complete my goal!"

A small ding was heard in the stadium.

Another person had sent in their support.

Under Hue's portrait..

Was a picture of Gloria Swanson.

 _She's Okay! Gloria's Okay!_

" **Die**!" Aura shrieked as she threw a fast punch towards Hue's face.

Hue grinned and rose his arm.

Upon contact, a large cloud of smoke exploded throughout the area.

"I don't intend to die…." Hue smiled as the smoke cleared to reveal that he had managed to catch

Aura's punch with ease, and was now holding her arms down as well as keeping her legs secure with his feet, effectively rendering her harmless.

"Until I make good on my promise to take Saki's problems away from her!" Hue's eyes glinted.

 _If you could do it….so can Deus!_

"Deus!'" Hue called out. "Now!"

"What are you….doooinnnggg?" Aura asked as Hue's hands began to glow and Aura began to grow limp.

"First...I'm putting Saki back in control of her own body, using Psycho Shift!" Hue announced.

Aura's slightly crazed eyes faded, and Saki's returned to their natural piercing state.

"H-Huey?" She asked, woozy.

"It's over. You'll be free now, Saki." Hue said quickly, red from embarrassment.

And without a moment's hesitation, without worry that nearly every trainer he knew was watching, without worry that this was being broadcast to all of Kanto and likely places beyond, Hue kissed her.

"Wh-what was...that for…?" Saki asked before drifting out of consciousness.

Bzzzzzt.

The timer sounded.

"I took away...your problems…" Hue managed to say before he too passed out on the ground.

[Coordinators moving to the next round (Top 8)]

[Diane Dorsey]

[Monica Wright]

[Davon Le Rouge]

[Ethel Ross]

[Helen Lang]

[Twilight Church]

[Karen Walls]

[Hubert Swanson]

"Huey…." Hue woke up to his pet name.  
He opened his eyes, but couldn't see anyone.

He sat up and looked around. He was in a bed.

"Huey…." He heard the voice again.

He looked around again, and noticed the other bed in the room.

Lying on it, and facing him, was what looked like a very tired Saki Muranaka.

"Saki…" Hue smiled. "You're awake. I'm glad."

"Huey…" Saki said again with a coy smile.

"Aura won't take over your body anymore." Hue said, proud of himself. "I uh...used that um...moment...to have Deus absorb all your Deoxys DNA."

"And it's totally cramped in here now!" Aura said inside Hue's mind. "Mind if I take over your body just to breathe a bit?"

"Oh no you don't…" Deus said inside Hue's mind as he grabbed Aura. "You want to be a complete Deoxys don't you? I'm not letting you share your DNA with me unless _I_ get to be Forme in charge. Understand?"

"You're breaking our heart, Deus dearest…" Aura pouted.

Hue gave Saki a smile.

"I don't think you have to worry about Aura anymore."

"Huey…." Saki's grin was only getting more mischievous.

"What is it?" He asked.

"You like me, don't you Huey?" She asked with a grin.

Hue went red, but gave out a laugh.

"No, I don't." He said.

He ignored the glare that Saki gave him as he managed to get himself out of his bed.

"Where are you going?" Saki asked.

"Back to the Police Station." Hue said. "You're safe now, but I still have all that pokemon business up in me. I can't be allowed to spend the night here. Besides, I don't want Aura to somehow weasel her way back into you while I'm asleep. I can't go through losing you like that again."

"Oh come on!" Saki groaned.

"If you're going to say stuff like that, you should at least admit you like me."

"But I don't." Hue grinned as he exited the door.

"I love you."

He had left Saki speechless.

He closed the door with a confident grin, but once on the other side…

"Holy shit, I can't believe I said that!" He said quietly.

"Oh man, what are you doing?" Aura asked. "A love confession is supposed to go like this!"

She turned to Deus and began to wiggle around as seductively as she could.

"Deus, I...I seem to have….I seem to have fallen completely in love with you…"

"But aren't we part of the same Deoxys now?" Deus asked. "Like, we're the same being? Isn't that a little?"

"Loving yourself is a valuable trait, Deus dearest." Aura winked.

"You two are ridiculous." Hue sighed. "I'm I going to have to put up with this all the time?"

"Yes." Aura answered.

"No!" Deus answered, more firmly as he rested a hand on Aura and she faded into the back of Hue's mind.

"Thank you for your help Deus." Hue said.

"Oh it was no problem at all." Deus seemed a little embarrassed by the praise. "It was cool to be in a battle for once! I just wish I could've done more. The real major player here was Donovan. It was a good idea going to him before the matches started and telling him your plan."

"And I'll be sure to thank him later as well." Hue nodded. "But the real major player here...The one who found it in her heart to forgive me enough to support me... _She's_ the real hero today."

Far far away, in Aspertia City in Unova, Gloria Swanson was sleeping in her bed, with a warm smile on her face, while her treasured Mega Evolution keystone lay on her nightstand next to a picture of her and her older brother.


	80. Four More Festival Fights

[Matches for the second round of the Battle Stage]

[Karen Walls VS Ethel Ross]

[Helen Lang VS Monica Wright]

[Davon Le Rouge VS Diane Dorsey]

[Twilight Church VS Hubert Swanson]

Hue looked over at Twilight.

 _Is this the first time we're facing off against each other in a contest battle? I can't remember. I feel like I've fought her before, but at the same time, I feel like besides the Cinnabar tournament, I've only ever really fought with her verbally...This will be interesting..._

Chapter 80:

Four More Festival Fights

Hue's Current Team:Douglas(Blastoise): Water Pulse, Skull Bash, Iron Defense, Rain Dance

Akane(Ditto): Transform

Vasquez: Horn Attack, Stomp, Bulldoze, Smack Down

Gordon: Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Bruce: Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

Betruger: Constrict, Peck, Tackle, Reflect

Other:

Deus/Aura: Psycho Boost, Extremespeed/Hyper Beam, Recover/Zap Cannon, Psycho Shift

"Well, I just got back from the hospital." Donovan said as he visited Hue in the Contest Hall lobby.

"Doctors say that Saki's going to be fine. She'll be discharged in time to catch the finale of the Grand Festival."

"Oh that's good." Hue gave a relieved sigh. "That means she'll be able to participate in the pokemon league."

"Man, I was looking forward to doing that too…" Aura groaned inside Hue's head.

"Ugh, go back to dormancy." Deus said as he put a hand on Aura and they both disappeared into Hue's subconscious.

Donovan gave Hue a mischievous smile.

"You...you certainly gave us all quite a shock with your actions yesterday. Getting all kissy on national TV like that…"

Hue blushed, but remained calm.

"It was to absorb the Deoxys dna." Hue said.

"I feel like you could have found an easier way to do it than through spit." Donovan shrugged.

"You know-" Hue began before the two of them looked over at Diane as she cleared her throat.

"Ahem." Diane said. "Huey, I'm sorry about the night at the party when I didn't do anything to help you. I hope my speech yesterday was enough to make up for it."

"This conversation again?" Hue accidentally said out loud.

"Hrmmm…" Diane huffed. "I'm giving you an apology and your being all apathetic towards it. That settles it, I'm not going to give you the important message I was told to give you."

"Message?" Hue asked, his curiosity peaking. "Who is it from?"

"I don't know." Diane shrugged. "Creepy fella. Black robe. Couldn't see his face."

 _What is this? A Dark Brotherhood threat?_

"Are you serious right now?"

"I can be serious too…" Diane pouted.

Her stomach growled.

"On that note…" She took Donovan by the wrist. "Come on Donny, we need to fill up quick before the Top 8 battles start!"

Before Donovan could even say anything, the two of them had disappeared.

"Giving me a hard time about liking someone…" Hue grumbled.

"Imagine how hard it is for me to keep quiet around you two…"

Hue carefully opened the letter.

 _Hubert Swanson, Subject 4_

 _You have made an interesting move. Like me, you understand that this 'game' isn't over by a long shot. I am unsure whether I should extend my gratitude or express my disappointment. You have managed to take Saki's problems away from her and foist them onto yourself, quite literally. What you failed to do, was immediately deal with those problems yourself. As it stands currently, you are both a benefit and a hinderance to the happy ending you are working towards. As long as you keep your Deoxys cooped up in your body, defeat is the only future that we face. I urge you to, by any means necessary, rid yourself of what has effectively become a parasite in your body. You haven't much time._

There was no signature or anything. The letter just ended abruptly like that.

"Huh…" Hue said as he folded up the letter and put it in his jacket's pocket.

"Calling all Coordinators!" The announcer spoke through the speakers. "Calling all Coordinators! The Second Round of the Battle Stage is going to start soon! Please return to the waiting room area!"

 _I'm going to fight Twilight..._ Hue thought to himself. _If I remember correctly, she's actually a formidable opponent in contest battles. She almost won that New Year's Contest in Celadon, and only really lost because Ethel's Ivysaur evolved. I should be careful about this match._

As Hue entered the waiting room area, he accidentally locked eyes with Ethel.

She gave him a stern look, as though she was trying to figure out who was in control of Hue's body.

"Um…" Hue began.

"Take me to see Saki after this." She finally said. "I want to make sure she's okay."

Before Hue could say anything in response, Ethel quickly walked passed him.

 _It still feels so awkward talking to her…._

"Swanson." Twilight said from behind him.

Hue turned.

"Wh-what was that about during my match last round? Why did you… support me like that?"

"Um...well...that _is_ the question isn't it?" Hue agreed nervously. "I guess it was because I thought it'd be a nice thing to do?"

"You sound like you don't even know why." Twilight sighed. "Whatever I guess. I'll forgive you. On one condition."

"I'm not throwing the match-"

"I'm not a cheapskate, Swanson!" She punched Hue in the shoulder.

"Ow…"

"No, my condition is…" She blushed and looked away. "F-from now on...w-we have to be friends. We're friends got it?"

 _Friendship tsundere., that's a new one...to me anyway_

"Sure thing." Hue laughed. "But we'll have to call each other by our first names, alright Twilight?"

 _I'm sure this conversation has happened before. Or maybe something similar._

"Alright Sw-...Hubert."

 _Baby steps I guess._

"And may the best Coordinator win our match!" Twilight held out a hand.

"Agreed." Hue agreed as he shook it.

[Battle Stage (Top 8)]

[Karen Walls VS Ethel Ross]

[Ivysaur and Leafeon VS Butterfree and Milotic]

"Battle, Start!" Both Coordinators and the ref said at the same time.

"Ivysaur!" Karen called out. "Use Razor Leaf! Leafeon, use Helping Hand!"

"Sauuurrr!" Ivysaur shouted as it shot a large quantity of Razor Leaves at Butterfree and Milotic.

"Leaf, Leaf, Leaf-e-on!" Leafeon danced around Ivysaur cheering.

"Milotic, use Coil to dodge! Butterfree, use Psychic to send the Razor leaves back the way they came!"

"Miloooo…" Ethel's Milotic coiled up, effectively dodging the Razor Leaves as it did so.

Butterfree took a few blows directly before managing to use Psychic to send all the leaves back towards Ivysaur.

"Ivysaur!" Karen called out. "Use Vine Whip to swipe the leaves away! Leafeon! Use Energy Ball on Milotic!"

"Milotic!" Ethel announced. "Use Ice Beam on Leafeon!"

"Butterfree, use Rage Powder!"

Karen smiled.

"I had a feeling…" She said. "There was no way Butterfree taking damage for Milotic was an accident."

To Ethel's surprise, Butterfree's Rage powder had no effect whatsoever and Ivysaur managed to Vine Whip the Razor Leaves away.

Milotic's Ice Beam and Leafeon's Energy Ball collided head on with each other.

"What the?" Ethel seemed in a unique situation of confusion.

"Rage Powder…" Karen explained. "Is considered one of the _powder_ moves. As such, Grass types are totally immune to it!"

"I see…" Ethel said. "It's not everyday I'm taught something I didn't already know."

So far, the point bars of both trainers were neck and neck. "Allow me to inform you however, that in no circumstance will your Leafeon ever have enough offensive power to stand up against Milotic."

As Ethel finished her sentence, Milotic's Ice Beam overpowered Leafeon's Energy Ball and hit the pokemon directly, freezing the ground around its unconscious body.

"Leafeon is unable to battle!" The ref announced. "Karen is down to only her Ivysaur!"

"Crap…" Karen said, looking at the point bars and the time limit.

"Now Milotic!" Ethel called out. "Use Dragon Tail!"

 _You complete copy cat!_ Hue thought to himself. _You stole my thing!_

"Dodge it, Ivysaur!" Karen called out, "And use Double Edge to ram into Butterfree!"

"Sauurr!" Ivysaur dodged the Dragon Tail and shot itself towards Butterfree at top speed.

"Ah." Ethel said in her signature monotone. "It appears you've fallen for it after all. Oh well."

Before Karen could ask what Ethel meant, she got her answer.

"Butterfree!" Ethel said as she pointed. "Psychic! Now!"

"Freeeeeee!" Butterfree's eyes glowed as it stopped Ivysaur in its tracks and rose it up into the air.

"Oh...crud…" Karen said, realizing how this battle was going to end.

"Now Milotic!" Ethel announced. "Use Ice Beam!"

"Milooooo!" Milotic let out a powerful Ice Beam attack that hit Ivysaur directly.

"Drop it, Butterfree!" Ethel said.

"Freeee!" Butterfree dropped the Ivysaur to the ground with a large thud.

"Ivysaur is unable to battle!" The ref said. "Milotic and Butterfree are the victors, which means the winner is Ethel Ross!"

Karen gave a sigh as she returned her pokemon.

"Well, Top 8 isn't too shabby I guess. Hopefully I do better in the League." She walked to Ethel.

"And Top 4 isn't too shabby either. Good luck!"

"Thank you very much." Ethel replied as she shook Karen's hand.

"I can tell that you and your pokemon are very graceful in your contests. That was why I went the strength route. If you could have lasted longer, you likely would have drained me of my points." Ethel pointed to the screen. "But the cards just happened to be in my favor this time. I believe if you keep at it, you can become a great coordinator."

"Thank you." Karen said. "But you better not just be saying this to make me feel better."

"I don't believe in lies." Ethel said. "What I told you was the truth."

After a few more minutes of celebration and of Ethel being Ethel, the second match of the round began.

[Helen Lang VS Monica Wright]

[Hitmonlee and Electabuzz VS Jynx and Blaziken]

"What kind of pokemon is that?" Hue wondered as he held up his pokedex to Monica's Blaziken.

"[Blaziken]." Dean stated. "The [Blaze] Pokemon. Blaziken is able to leap over 30 story buildings with its great lower body strength."

"30 story buildings?" Hue asked in shock.

 _From the ground? That's practically 300 feet in the air!_

"Battle, Start!" Both Coordinators and the ref announced at the same time.

"Hitmonlee!" Helen called out. "Use High Jump Kick!"

"Blaziken!" Monica returned the favor. "Use Sky Uppercut!"

"Leee!" Hitmonlee jumped and extended his leg.

"Blaze!" Blaziken announced as it launched itself straight into the Hitmonlee's leg.

"Electabuzz!" Helen called out. "Use the opening for a Thunder!"

"Electa...buzz!" Electabuzz shouted as it roared and summoned a large Thunder attack from above the two Fighting types.

"Jynx!" Monica countered. "Counter it with a Blizzard attack!"

"Jyyynx!" Jynx announced as she wiggled her hips and shot a large blizzard out of her palms towards the Thunder attack.

With all four attacks colliding head on, the explosion of bright colors sparkled incredibly almost like a disco ball hanging from the stadium ceiling.

Both Coordinators had their points bars drop.

Hitmonlee landed near Helen's side.

Blaziken landed near Monica's/

"Electabuzz!" Helen called out. "Thunder Punch!"

"Jynx!" Monica retaliated. "Block with Ice Punch!"

The two pokemon both charged at each other and hit each other with their respective elemental punch attacks.

Again, both Coordinators points bars dipped down further.

"Hitmonlee!" Helen called out. "Use Rolling Kick on Blaziken!"

"Blazekin!" Monica called out. "Dodge and use Brave Bird! Jynx, use Psychic to hold Hitmonlee in place!"

"Jyyynx!" Jynx half-sang as she froze Hitmonlee's movement mid-Rolling Kick, allowing for Blaziken to dodge.

"Uh-oh.." Helen realized. "Hitmonlee, Endure!"

"Lee!" Hitmonlee addressed Helen before he was hit straight on with a Brave Bird from Monica's Blaziken in a spectacular explosion of light, accented even more heavily by Jynx dropping Hitmonlee into the ground.

"Woooo!" The audience cheered.

"Woo?" Hue wondered aloud.

"Monica Wright is already a Top Coordinator." Twilight reminded Hue. "So it isn't unreasonable to assume that a few would come out to Kanto to see her perform."

The light cleared, and the audience gave a collective gasp to see that Hitmonlee was still holding on.

"That's Endure for you." Helen said, proud of herself. "Now Hitmonlee, use Reversal!"

"Blaziken…" Monica grinned. "Quick Attack!"

"Blaze!" Blaziken shot passed Hitmonlee before he could fire off his Reversal attack, and the Kicking Pokemon fell to the ground."

"Hitmonlee is unable to battle!" The ref announced. "Helen is down to only her Electabuzz!"

"You ready Electabuzz?" Helen asked.

"Electabuzz!" her Electabuzz replied eagerly.

"Then let's fire off that Charge Beam!"

"Electa….buzz!" Electabuzz shot a large beam of electricity directly at Blaziken, hitting it dead on.

"Blaze…" Blaziken knelt to the ground.

"That Blaziken's been taking a lot of damage…" Twilight noted.

"I wonder if…" Hue looked at Dean.

"I wonder if it's ability is-"

"Look at that!" The announcer exclaimed, cutting Hue's sentence short. Hue and Twilight looked up at the monitor to see Blaziken cloaked in a reddish hue of light.

"That's Blaze!" Twilight recognized the ability.

"Oh, you've seen it before?"

"Sure have." Twilight nodded. "Many times as a matter of fact. You?"

"I think once? I could be misremembering though. I know that it's similar to Overgrow or Torrent though, and that it works for Fire type moves."

"Then you also know that it means…"

"Yeah." Hue nodded.

"Now Jynx!" Monica called out. "Blizzard!"

"Jynx!" Jynx shouted as she shot a Blizzard attack at Helen.

"Electabuzz!" Helen yelled.

"Counter it with Charge Beam!"

"Electabuzzzzzz!" Electabuzz fired off what Hue noted seemed to be a significantly more powerful Charge Beam towards the Blizzard attack.

The two attacks canceled each other out, again, depleting both Coordinator's point bars.

"Now we just have to-" Helen began.

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

"And would you look at that, we've run out of time!" The announcer said. "Everyone turn your attention to the monitor to see our winner!"

Everyone looked up towards the large monitor.

The winner, by a margin,

Was Monica Wright.

The stadium erupted into applause.

"Whew…" Monica smiled at Helen.

"That was really fun! Thanks for hanging in there until the bitter end!"

Twilight and Hue wished each other good luck one more time before going their separate ways to get ready for their contest battle, which would be the last of the day.

On his way to the wing of the backstage, Hue noticed Monica heading back.

"Congratulations on your win." He said, rather quietly.

Monica however, seemed absolutely touched by the gesture.

"Aw! Thank you!"

She looked around a bit, and then adopted a more serious facial expression.

"How's your girlfriend? Is she okay? Please tell me she's okay!"

"Sh-she's fine…" Hue said. "But...like...you never really talked to us that much so...why do you care?"

"Because I only recently learned that she was part of the Muranaka family…" Monica said.

"What?" Hue asked confused. "Are they like, a big deal in Hoenn or something?" He asked, almost jokingly.

"I'd rather not talk about Hoenn." Monica said, bitterly. "I don't ever want to go back there."

 _What the hell happened in Hoenn?_

"But to answer your question," Monica continued. "The name Muranaka is-"

"Actually," Hue said, interrupting her. "That can wait. I want to see Diane's and Davon's battle."

Monica gave a sigh that vaguely reminded Hue of his mother before walking off.

[Davon Le Rouge VS Diane Dorsey]

[Poliwrath and Blastoise VS Hitmonchan and Medicham]

"Go, Poliwrath and Blastoise!" Davon called out as he brushed back his gelled, blonde hair.

"Poliwraaaath!" Poliwrath beat its belly like a war drum.

"Blaaaastoise!" Blastoise tried to do the same but failed.

"Go!" Diane called out full of energy. "Chantra and Dittie!"

"[Poliwrath]." Dean informed Hue. "The [Tadpole] pokemon. Poliwrath is an excellent swimmer and its powerful muscles make its attacks extremely effective."

Hue turned Dean over to Dittie, who seemed to have evolved from Meditite into a Medicham.

"[Medicham]" Dean stated. "The [Meditate] Pokemon. Medicham is able to harness its psychic powers through yoga. Being at one with nature, it can make itself vanish completely. Through a combination of food deprivation and meditation, Medicham gains the ability to see its opponent's aura."

"So you're telling me, that this thing just become invisible?" Hue asked. "And that if something else also becomes invisible this thing can still see it?"

"In a nutshell?" Dean clarified. "Yes."

"Battle, Start!" The ref announced.

"Let's not make this drag on for longer than it needs to, Lady Dorsey!" Davon extended a hand.

"Poliwrath! Let's give them a dose of Hypnosis! Blastoise, Skull Bash any that try to avoid the attack!"

"A fair suggestion!" Diane called back. "But i'll have to decline! Dittie, you know what to do!"

"Medicham." Dittie nodded as they vanished completely.

Diane's points began to fall.

"What?" She looked up at her point bar.

"You want your pokemon to be both seen and heard in a contest!" Davon lectured Diane. "While that strategy might be valid in a league-style battle, contests are of a totally different breed!"

"Cham…" Dittie said as she came back into view, just behind Blastoise.

"Now Dittie!" Diane called out. "Use Force Palm!"

"Chaaaam!" Dittie slammed their palm into Blastoise's shell, knocking them forwards and onto the floor.

"Blaassstoiisee…" Blastoise tried to get up, but couldn't.

"It appears Blastoise has been paralyzed!" The announcer exclaimed. "That won't bode well for Davon's points!"

"Oh, but what of Lady Dorsey's Hitmonchan?" Davon asked with a brush of his hair as he gestured to where Diane's Hitmonchan had fallen victim to the Hypnosis that Poliwrath had used.

"Now Poliwrath!" Davon called out. "Focus Punch!"

"Dittie!" Diane shouted. "Use Zen Headbutt to knock Poliwrath off-focus!"

"Blastoise!" Davon called out. "From that position, you should be able to Rapid Spin to trip Dittie!"

"To-Toise!" Blastoise managed to successfully pull off a Rapid Spin, throwing Dittie off balance, causing them to trip and fall just like Blastoise had earlier.

"Now!" Davon announced for his Poliwrath. "Attack!"

"Poliwrath!" Poliwrath jumped up and lunged down with a devastating Focus Punch landing a direct hit on Chantra.

"It appears Hitmonchan is already unable to battle! Diane is down to only her Medicham!"

"Power Trick, Dittie!" Diane called out as she returned Chantra. "And use Zen Headbutt on that Poliwrath!"

"Medi…." Dittie was momentarily surrounded by a strange psychic energy as they got up off the ground and began rushing towards Poliwrath.

"Cham!" Dittie shouted as she lunged into Poliwrath, knocking the Tadpole pokemon back to Davon.

"Wraaaath." Poliwrath groaned. "Poliwrath…"

"Blastoise!" Davon looked over at his Blastoise. "It's time to use Hydro Pump!"

"Dodge it, Dittie!" Diane called out.

"Oh, no no no, you misunderstand Lady Dorsey." Davon said as he brushed his gelled hair back and extended a hand once more. "I'm using Hyrdo Pump on _Poliwrath_!"

"Toooiiiseee!" Blastoise shot out incredibly strong and fast jets of water out of both its cannons, and they both hit Poliwrath directly.

Poliwrath emerged from the attack looking more refreshed than ever.

"It's Water Absorb!" The announcer exclaimed. "Poliwrath has just made use of its Water Absorb ability, which gives it energy when it is hit with a water type move!"

"Now Poliwrath!" Davon extended a hand. "Use Bubble Beam! Blastoise, use Hydro Pump once more! There's no way Lady Dorsey can dodge both!"

"Wrath!"

"Toise!"

Both pokemon shot their water attacks towards Dittie.

"Dittie!" Diane called out. "Use Recover!"

"Mediiiii-" Dittie began regaining energy in an effort to achieve enough health to be able to take the impending attacks.

"Cha-bbrbrlbrlrbrl"

Dittie was pelted with a barrage of water and bubbles, and fell to the floor.

"Cham…" Dittie grinned at Diane as they gave her a thumbs up and began to get up.  
"Amazing!" Davon gestured both his arms out.

"You truly must have gone through a fair amount of training with this pokemon if they can stand up to both Poliwrath and Blastoise like this! Unfortunately for you, that last attack was enough."

"Huh?" Diane asked.

"Bzzzzzzzzz" The buzzer sounded.

"Diane Dorsey has run out of points!" The ref announced. "Victory goes to Poliwrath and Blastoise, so the winner is Davon Le Rouge!"

"You did a tremendous job, Lady Dorsey." Davon bowed to Diane. "If we were in a League Battle, you would have beaten me hands down. I would be more than happy to train or battle with you were you to request it."

"You were pretty good out there too!" Diane bowed back, still full of energy. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go see Au- I mean, Saki, and see how she's holding up!"

Diane rushed passed Hue on her way off the stage.

Hue looked at Davon, who was supposed to have gone the other way, but he had walked towards Hue instead.

"Is something the matter?" Hue asked, confused.

"When you did what you did last round…" Davon said to Hue. "No, let me rephrase my question. Sir Swanson, do you currently possess the Deoxys that was until very recently inside Saki?"  
"You mean did I take the Deoxys DNA out of her? Yes, I did."

"I see." Davon sighed. "That's unfortunate. I do see you as a good friend, so it makes what will be coming up all the harder."

"What?" Hue was confused.

 _Why are people suddenly so somber? They should have_ less _to worry about, not more…_

"I'm going to win this competition. You know I've said that." Davon said. "And I'll use the influence to get some of the best trainers for the Pokemon League Tournament, where I will see to it that I destroy the monster inside you, by any means necessary."

"Even...um…" Hue was about to ask if that included killing him, but considering what he'd seen and learned on his journey, he realized how stupid a question it was.

"I hope it doesn't come to that." Davon admitted. "But if it does, I will not hesitate. I pray you find a better solution before that day comes."

He gave Hue a pat on the shoulder before leaving.

[Twilight Church VS Hubert Swanson]

[Charizard and Arbok VS Rhyhorn and Inkay]

"Battle, Start!" Both Coordinators and the ref all announced at the same time.

"Are you serious?" Twilight asked. "This is a Contest and you bring _those_ pokemon?"

Hue gulped.

He didn't know what that was supposed to mean, but reasoned it must mean that despite his type advantage, Twilight somehow still had the upper hand.

"Let's just start with a Sunny Day, Charizard!" Twilight announced.

"Chaaaaaarrrrr!" Charizard wailed as the entire stadium began to brighten.

"Vasquez!" Hue called out as a guitar strummed somewhere in far away in the distance. "Use Smack Down on Charizard!"

"Rhyyyhorn!" Vasquez shot a stone in Charizard's Direction.

"Arbok!" Twilight called, extending her hand. "Use Sludge Bomb to smack the Smack Down into Inkay!"

"Betruger!" Hue shouted. "Use Reflect!"

The audience cheered as all the pokemon played Volleyball with a Smack Down rock and both Coordinators' points began to decline, though thanks to the Sunny Day, Twilight's didn't go down as far.

"Now Charizard!" Twilight announced. "Solar Beam!"

"Zarrd!" Charizard instantly shot a Solar Beam directly htting Vasquez, who instantly fell over.

"Vasquez, no!" Hue called out.

"Rhyhorn is unable to battle!" The ref announced. "Hubert is down to only his Inkay."

 _Oh, crap...Now I see what Twilight meant. There's no way I can possibly win with this tiny baby pokemon against these trained professional ones. I guess this is karma for never taking contests seriously...But, I might as well try my damndest._

"That's the spirit!" Aura said in Hue's head.

"Sorry…" Deus said as he put a hand on her shoulder and brought her back to Hue's subconscious. "She got a little excited for a second."

"Betruger!" Hue called out. "I don't suppose you can pull anything out of a wormhole for me right now?"

"Inkay…" Betruger shrugged.

"Damnit…"

"Now Arbok!" Twilight announced. "Use Gunk Shot!"

"Come on Betruger, it's now or never!" Hue called out. "Think of something!"

"Iiiinnnn…." Betruger concentrated as hard as they could.

"Got you!" Twilight said as the Gunk Shot hit its mark and Hue lost even more points.

"We can probably call the-"

"Innnkaaayyy" Betruger appeared happily behind Arbok.

"What the hell did I hit then?" Twilight asked as she looked back.

In Betruger's place was a small Substitute.

"Substitute?" Twilight asked in astonishment. "My goodness I'm impressed!"

Hue felt his confidence returning.

"Or I would be." Twilight sighed. "If I hadn't already won this sorry excuse for a match."

Hue felt his confidence shatter as he saw exactly where Betruger had ended up.

Right in front of Charizard.

"Flamethrower."

"Pfff." Charizard gave a small Flamethrower, and Betruger fell to the ground.

"Hubert's pokemon are both unable to battle!" The ref announced.

"The victors are Charizard and Arbok, and the winner is Twilight!"

"Just so you know." Twilight said, with as stern and angry a look as ever on her face. "I don't consider this a win. Not at all. You looked like you weren't even trying out there."

"Sorry." Hue apologized.

"I guess it can't be helped." Twilight sighed. "After all this time, I was really looking forward to proving that I was a better coordinator, and you managed to somehow even ruin _that_. You sure do know how to get on my nerves Sw-..." She sighed. "Hue." She said after a breath. "But you can make it up to me by cheering me on to the finals, so I can win this competition."

Hue agreed with a smile, just glad that he wasn't being treated like evil incarnate for once.

*Hospital*

"Oh, you're still here?" Hue asked Diane as Carmen, who was volunteering as Hue's parole for the time being, waited outside Saki's room.

"Of course I'm still here." Diane said with a huff. "It's a rule that your girlfriends have to be approved by me, after all."

"Um." Saki looked up at Hue.

"What is it?" Hue asked.  
Then he remembered exactly how he had left Saki the last time he had seen her, and went bright red.

"Out, out out out!" He took Diane by the wrist and shoved her out into the hallway, where Carmen was waiting.

"Hello." Carmen said after clearing her throat.

"Hi." Diane said.

The two waited next to each other in awkward silence.

"Do you want to eavesdrop?" Diane asked.

"I wouldn't if I were you." Carmen sighed. "But I won't say anything if you do."

Diane put her ear to the door.

"And Donovan came by earlier to discuss things with you too right?" Hue asked.

"Yes." Saki replied. "And I was thinking, hear me out Huey, that we blow up this _giant_ balloon and-"

The door, which had not been fully closed, gave way and Diane fell back into the room.

"I wasn't listening in, I swear!" She said as she put her hands up in the air.

 _You totally were though._

Diane's eyes shifted, and noticed a small present in Hue's hand.

She cupped her hands over her mouth. "Is that an engagement ring? Are you two getting _married_?"

"We're fifteen!" Hue rose his voice.

He gave a sigh and calmed down as he handed Diane the present.

"And since you've seen it before the 30th, I guess I'll give it to you now. It's your birthday present."

Diane took the box and opened it up.

"It's…." She looked inside.

"Oh my goodness!" She gasped. She pulled out a little tiny toy Charmander. This Charmander however, was made specifically to look like Diane.

"It's a Charmander me! It's so cute!"

"I told you she'd like it." Saki smirked at Hue. She began to rock her head back and forth. "I know your sister better than you." She sang.

Hue gave Diane a glance.

 _This is the girl I like, folks._

"You almost done in there?" Carmen asked. "I'm on a schedule you know, and I want to be able to see the Semifinals tomorrow!"

"I'm discharged tomorrow as well." Saki said with a smile. "So you gotta promise to watch them with me, Huey."

"O-okay." Hue meekly agreed.

Diane hugged her new figurine the entire way back to Hue's cell.

*Happy Birthday Diane!*

Diane's Current Team(A Birthday Look):

Charolette(Charizard): Flamethrower, Smokescreen, Blast Burn, Fly

Dittie(Medicham): Power Trick, Zen Headbutt, Recover, Force Palm

Chusie(Raichu): Dig, Thunderbolt, Volt Tackle, Thunder

Chantra(Hitmonchan): Focus Punch, Ice Punch, Fire Punch, Comet Punch

Nixor(Onix): Stone Edge, Dragon Breath, Sandstorm, Double Edge

Gygara(Gyarados): Dragon Dance, Ice Fang, Aqua Tail, Thrash


	81. Poetry VS Elegance! Semi Final Battles!

[Matches for Grand Festival Semifinals]

[Monica Wright VS Twilight Church]

[Ethel Ross VS Davon Le Rouge]

"You have a visitooooor!" Saki sang as she waltzed in front of Hue's cell. Carmen was waiting by the door.

"So? You ready to go Huey? Let's go watch the semifinals!"

"You seem a lot more chipper than usual." Hue smiled.

"Oh, I feel _great_!" Saki spun around, and Hue noticed.

"You're back in your hakama?"

"I'm back in the hakama!" Saki repeated. "Its so much more comfortable than those tight pants I was wearing. Plus I can really feel the wind flow with this on, you know? It feels great against my skin."

 _You're not wearing anything under it?! You know what, I probably shouldn't ask that question. I don't think I want it answered._

"Oh my goodness…" Saki continued. "I just feel so much _lighter_ I guess…"

"Well, we all saw what happened." Carmen chimed in. "An entire being was taken out of you."

"That's not, entirely true." Hue stood up. "It was only a portion of an entire being."

 _To be specific, it was the Attack Forme of the Deoxys that was present in all the subjects. Now I have Deus and Aura, Speed and Attack, in my subconscious._

"But that's not the important part is it?" Saki asked with a grin. "The important part is _why_ you did it." She turned to Carmen.

"You should have seen him, he was trying to act all cool and stuff, but he was such a wreck! It was sooo cuuute!"

"I….would rather not hear this story." Carmen sighed. "But remember what I told you."

"I know, I know…" Saki pouted. "No contact."

"No contact?" Hue asked, confused.

"We've managed to confirm that Saki is 100% human." Carmen told Hue. "But the capacity for Deoxys DNA to re-enter her is still present, so you unfortunately are not allowed to touch each other until _your_ matter is resolved as well."

"So, what you're saying is, you're treating me like a virus patient?"

"And Saki is someone who seems to have recovered from it, but some symptoms are still there."

"Like what?" Hue asked Saki.

Saki shot Hue a menacing piercing glance.

 _Oh. Like that._

"We think that-"

"Allow me to stop you there…" Saki interrupted. "You keep saying 'We', but you aren't referring to the Police Department are you?"

"No. I'm not." Carmen replied. "But-"

"Then who are you talking about?" Saki asked, inching closer to her.

"As I was _about_ to say." Carmen snarled. "I'm not allowed to say. I was told to only divulge certain information."

"Who told you to do that was it someone we know?" Hue asked, curious.

 _Maybe whoever gave me that letter?_

Carmen thought about it for a minute. "I'd say, it was someone who is incredibly close to both of you." She finally said. "That's enough questions for now. Now, do you want to see the semifinals matches or not?"

 _The Semifinals Matches...Monica, Twilight, Ethel, Davon. I wish I could talk to Ethel, or at least use Dean on her, but..._

Hue remembered what had been said to him after he lost the Grand Festival. "Because you no longer are participating in the competition, we are confiscating your pokedex! You will regain it again at the beginning of the league tournament."

 _Why can't they just listen to me? I really need to know if Ethel is human or if she has a Deoxys within her!_

"Huey!" Saki snapped Hue back into reality. "I asked you a very important question!"

"I-I'm sorry." Hue said. "What was it?"

Saki went a little red, likely embarrassed at having to repeat the question.

"This can...um...this can count right? As a date?"

 _You're the one who was bragging about how I confessed to you, what do you think? I can't believe I was worried._

Chapter 81:

Poetry VS Elegance! Semi Final Battle!

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Water Pulse, Skull Bash, Iron Defense, Rain Dance

Akane(Ditto): Transform

Vasquez: Horn Attack, Stomp, Bulldoze, Smack Down

Gordon: Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Bruce: Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

Betruger: Constrict, Peck, Reflect, Substitute

Other:

Deus/Aura: Psycho Boost, Extremespeed/Hyper Beam, Recover/Zap Cannon, Psycho Shift

[Grand Festival Semifinals]

[Monica Wright VS Twilight Church]

[Jynx and Clefable VS Flareon and Arbok]

"Finally…" Twilight said as she talked to Monica before the match started.

"Finally I can prove to not just myself, but to everyone here...that I am Top Coordinator material! And I'll do it by taking you down!"

"That's some big talk." Monica said, almost haughtily. "Do you know what they call you in my circle of coordinators?"

"No." Twilight replied, slightly curious. "What?"

"The Brute of Beauty." Monica answered. "You take the elegance and grace that are pokemon contests, and run them rampant with your hideous battle tactics. I mean, look at _that_." She pointed to Twilight's Arbok. "A poison type has no place in a Grand Festival."

"Maybe _you_ can't see the beauty in my pokemon." Twilight said. "But it's not appearance or type that defines what is beautiful! My pokemon and I got this far because we've earnestly trained for it! We aren't just some rich bitch from Hoenn who already has a title to her name coasting her way through the tournament on the tailwind of her own success!"

"Where's this sudden animosity coming from?" Hue asked Saki, who was sitting on the other side of a very uncomfortable Carmen.

"Beats me." Saki replied. "It's not like the two of us know everything that goes on in everyone's lives."

"Oh that reminds me though…" Hue continued. "Monica said that Muranaka was-"

"Shut up." Carmen said, having lost her patiences. "Both of you be quiet and watch the match."

"Battle, Start!" The ref called out.

"Now Clefable!" Monica called out. "Let's get this ball rolling with a Metronome!"

She turned to Twilight. "I'm not going to give you the satisfaction of predicting what will happen!"

"Maybe so." Twilight replied. "But I can still kick your ass! Flareon, use Flamethrower on Jynx! Arbok, Coil and prepare!"

"Aaaaaaarbok…" Arbok announced as it slithered around and coiled itself in a surprisingly clean and elegant way for a poison type pokemon.

"Flaaaaarrrreooonnn!" Flareon fired a Flamethrower towards Jynx.

"Jynx, counter with Ice Beam!" Monica called out.

"Fable!" Clefabe wagged its fingers and *poof* instantly disappeared.

"It's gone?" Hue asked, confused.

"I don't think so." Carmen said. "Looks like Phantom Force. Which is bad news for Twilight. That move hits through Protect and similar moves like nothing. It's not easily avoided."

"But, there is something else that's happening…" Saki acknowledged the stage. "Look at that."

As Flareon's Flamethrower and Jynx's Ice Beam collided, the two created water that began forming and ever growing puddle all over the stage.

"The stage is becoming coated in a thin sheet of water!" The announcer exclaimed. "How will the coordinators use this to their advantage?"

Hue's eyes widened. He could think of a way that _one_ pokemon might be able to use it.

"Fable!" Clefable leaped out of the shadows at Arbok.

"Now Arbok!" Twilight called out. "Dodge!"

"Arbok!" Arbok announced as it slid across the stage like it was on a slip'n'slide, causing Clefable to crash into the water.

"The the about two-turn attacks." Twilight said to Monica as Monica's points dropped. "Is that they _are_ predicable."

Monica gritted her teeth.

"Jynx, use Psychic on Arbok!"

"That's not gonna fly!" Twilight shouted. "Now Flareon, use Dig, and Arbok, Thunder Fang!"

"Flareon!" Flareon quickly dug below the stage, just in time to escape what would happen next.

"Aaaaaarbok!" Arbok yelled as its fangs became supercharged with electricity. "Now dip them in the water!" Twilight yelled.

"Bok." Arbok put its Thunder Fang in the water on the stage floor, and proceeded to electrocute both Jynx and Clefable at the same time.

"Oh, clever…" Monica said, but not quite clever enough. "Jynx, use Psychic! Now without hinderance!"

"Jyyyynx!" Jynx began rising Arbok up in the air with her Psychic attack and Twilight's points started to descend down to Monica's level.

"And now, Clefable, Metronome it once more!"

"Clefable, Clefable, Clefayyyyy…..Ble!" Clefable wagged its fingers and a gigantic storm of Magma began to come out of Clefable.

"That's Magma Storm!" Hue and Saki both recognized Heatran's signature move in unison.

"Magma Storm?" Carmen nearly stood up. "But that means that Jynx will also be-!"

As the magma cleared, a large cloud of steam kept the crowd from seeing what had happened.

"What happened?" Someone asked.

"It's the water from earlier. That powerful fire attack created a large amount of steam so now we can't see anything!" Someone else answered.

"Man this blows, I wanted to see!"

As the last complaint ended, the steam finally began to clear.

Arbok and Jynx both lay unable to continue battling.

However,

"Look! It's that girl's Flareon!"

Hue looked and noticed Twilight's Flareon was looking incredibly refreshed and powerful.

"Phew." Twilight smiled. "Flareon arrived just in time for Magma Storm to hit." She turned to Monica.

"Clefable, use Metronome again!" Monica called out. "We can't lose to this amateur!"

"Clefaaable!" Clefable shot a very uninspired beam at Flareon which didn't seem to do anything.

"Simple Beam? It's a bit too late for that." Twilight said. "Flash Fire already took effect, but thanks for the helpful stat increases! Flareon, use Flame Charge!"

"Flame Charge normally increase speed of a pokemon…" Carmen said. "But if Flareon has the Simple ability…"

"That's almost like an Agility that does damage." Saki announced.

"Flareeeonnn!" Flareon charged into Clefable, cloaked in flame, and knocked Clefable over on its side.

Bzzzzzzzzt.

The buzzer sounded.

"Time's up!" The announcer stated. "Now let's look at the monitor to see who won!"

It was actually surprisingly close, but the winner, by a margin,

Was Twilight Church.

"Top...4?" Monica couldn't seem to believe it. "And beaten by...her?"

"This...this is a story I'll be telling my children and grandchildren." Twilight announced during her post match interview. "The story of how I managed to narrowly defeat a Top Coordinator in the semifinals of a Grand Festival."

A large wave of cheers echoed throughout the stadium. Hue and Saki both added to them, as Twilight Church, the first finalist, left the stage.

"That...was something else…" Hue said. "Now I kind of wish I had used better choices against her."

"Yeah, you sure screwed up there." Saki agreed.

"And now!" The announcer exclaimed. "Without any further delay, the penultimate match!"

[Ethel Ross VS Davon Le Rouge]

[Gardevoir and Nidoqueen VS Nidoqueen and Machamp]

"Well, it's obvious just by looking at types that if this was a league battle, Ethel has the advantage already." Hue said.

"And she's never been one to let others get the upper hand of her anyways." Saki added. "She likely won't be a very easy opponent for Davon."

"Even so…" Carmen said. "I think Le Rouge just might be able to pull this off. Ross has been acting on edge ever since the opening ceremony party. I don't believe she's completely in it right now."

Hue thought about asking someone to use their pokedex to scan Ethel, but he decided it might be better to wait until after the match, when he wouldn't be interrupting anything.

"Two Nidoqueens huh?" The announcer exclaimed. "This is sure to be an interesting match!"

"Battle, Start!" The ref announced as the two coordinators curtseyed and bowed to each other respectively. It reminded Hue of the origins of Pokemon battles, how they were created originally as entertainment for nobility.

"Nidoqueen!" Both Coordinators announced. "Body Slam the other one!"

Davon's Nidoqueen instantly proved to be more powerful as she slammed Ethel's into the ground.

Ethel lost a fair amount of points instantly.

"What the heck was _that_ about?" Saki asked, curious.

"If I had to guess…" Hue replied. "I'd say that these two Nidoqueens have different abilities. And Davon's Nidoqueen just so happens to have the ability of Rivalry."

"The ability that makes your attacks more powerful if your opponent is of the same gender." Carmen explained.

"And _both_ of Ethel's pokemon are female right now." Saki noted.

"Gardevoir!" Ethel called out. "Use Psychic on his Nidoqueen!"

"Garrrrdevoir!" Gardevoir said as she lifted Davon's Nidoqueen up with a Psychic attack.

Davon lost a good amount of points as Nidoqueen became suspended in the air at Gardevoir's mercy.

"You knew then?" Davon asked Ethel. "That I had taught my Nidoqueen Shadow Claw to deal with you?"

"Of course I knew." Ethel replied. "Which is why I'm getting it out of the way."

"Interesting." Davon mused with a smile as he brushed back his gelled hair. "You seem more riled up than usual today, Lady Ross. Is the semifinals pressure getting to you?"

Hue noticed that Ethel did seem visibly more on edge.

"Now, Nidoqueen, use Earth Power on his Machamp!" She said, quite forcefully.

 _That….was_ _ **not**_ _her usual monotone voice._

"Queeeen!" Nidoqueen yelled as the Earth began to shoot up towards Machamp, hitting him directly.

Davon lost some points.

"Now Machamp!" Davon announced. "Heavy Slam! Let's put this dance in motion!"

"Chaaaaamp!" Machamp seemed to coat himself is metal as he slammed into Gardevoir.

"Why isn't Ethel avoiding his attacks?" Hue wondered aloud.

"That's No Guard." Saki said. "As the name implies, any attacks Machamp makes, as well as any attacks made on Machamp, will all land successfully unless blocked by protect or something."

"That's a...scary ability." Hue offered his opinion as Ethel's points decreased.

"Gardevoir!" She called out as Gardevoir accidentally let go of Nidoqueen.

"Now, Nidoqueen!" Davon announced. "Use Shadow Claw on the pinned Gardevoir!"

"Nidoqueen!" Ethel called out. "Dragon Tail, now!"

 _That trick again? Seriously, I should have got a patent for that…._

"Nidooooo!" Ethel's Nidoqueen slammed its tail into Davon's Nidoqueen, sending it back to its pokeball.

"Nidoqueen is unable to battle!" The ref announced. "Davon is down to only his Machamp!"

"Then it's time!" Davon brushed his gelled hair back. "Machamp, time to unleash the move that will make the dance all the more enjoyable! Use Attract!"

"Oooh." Saki cringed. "Uh-oh."

"Maaaachaaamp." Machamp shot a heart out of a winking eye at Ethel's Gardevoir, who instantly began to swoon in his arms.

"My goodness." The announcer said as Davon's Machamp led Ethel's Gardevoir around the stage as though he was leading a dance.

"Nidoqueen!" Ethel called out again. "Use Dragon Tail one more time!"

"Queeen!" Nidoqueen jumped towards Machamp.

"Machamp!" Davon called out. "Protect!"

"Champ." Machamp turned at just the right time, and Nidoqueen's Dragon Tail went right through Gardevoir, since she was a Fairy type pokemon.

Ethel's points dropped further.

"Gardevoir!" Ethel called out. "Snap out of it and use Draining Kiss!"

"Gardevoir!" Ethel's Gardevoir blinked rapidly. It looked as though the spell of attract had worn off.

She leaned in closer to Machamp, who looked on in horror at his impending loss.

Bzzzzzzzzt.

"What?" Ethel and Davon both turned their heads.

"Time's up!" The announcer exclaimed. "Let's look at the monitor to see who is the winner!"

Both coordinators had their points close to zero.

By the narrowest of margins,

The winner was…

Davon Le Rouge.

"Oh, very well." Ethel sighed as she returned her two pokemon. "I suppose it isn't the first time I've lost a contest battle."

"Lady Ross, that was an excellent display." Davon said as he shook Ethel's hand. "I'll make sure that you lost to the winner of the Grand Festival, so do not fret about it. And then, when I am Top Coordinator and hold the Kanto Cup, Lady Walls may finally acknowledge me as more than just some fop."

"I hope for your success then." Ethel replied with a meek smile.

She then began to walk off the stage, but took her time, likely processing the fact that she had just lost when she came so close to winning.

 _This is it…_ Hue suddenly thought. _Ethel won't be back up on that stage again. If It doesn't happen now then it might not ever happen. I need_ someone, **anyone,** _to do it for me!_

"Hey." Hue turned to Carmen and Saki. "Can either of you use your pokedex on Ethel while she's up there?"

Saki went quiet. She likely knew why Hue wanted her to do it, but gave him a visibly afraid look.

 _I understand. You….you don't want to know. You're scared of what you'll find out. But maybe Carmen will-_

"Why on earth would I do that?" Carmen asked.

"Because I have reason to believe that she is-"

"Proof, Swanson." Carmen urged him. "You were a detective. You should know this. When making a claim, you need proof. Right now, I have no reason to believe that Ethel Ross has a Deoxys inside her. After all, we know it was the head of NTR, Chandler, that conducted that experiment. We need proof that Chandler has a connection to Ethel Ross before anything can be done."

"So…" Saki chimed in. "You're saying...that we have to investigate Ethel and Chandler and establish a connection, likely through discovering his identity?"

Carmen nodded.

Saki looked at Hue, and shot a sly grin with a piercing glare.

"Alright then, Huey. Are you ready for one last case?'


	82. Cerice The Sickly

Hue was awoken in the middle of the night by someone aggressively moving their hands over him.

"Get up! Get up quickly!"

Hue tried to ignore it as much as he could.

"For fuck's sake, Swanson, wake the hell up!"

Hue opened his eyes as he sat up.

Victor Grail's face looked back at him in the darkness.

"What are you doing in here?" Hue asked woozily, still 60 percent sure he was asleep.

"Wake up for real, Swanson." Victor said as he gave a firm slap on the back. "I'm busting you out of here."

 _Wait…_

 _What?!_

Chapter 82:

Cerice The Sickly

Saki's Current Team: Karakara(Cubone*shiny): Perish Song, Bonemerang, Earth Power, Retaliate

Tattu(Horsea): Bubble Beam, Smoke Screen, Brine, Agility

Koko(Beedrill): Poison Jab, Endeavor, Pin Missile, Toxic

Sirius(Umbreon): Faint Attack, Sand-Attack, Taunt, Moonlight

Purin(Wigglytuff): Dazzling Gleam, Body Slam, Double Edge, Play Rough

Huey(Dragonair): Dragon Dance, Aqua Tail, Dragon Rush, Rain Dance

"Missing?" Saki asked in disbelief as she wandered around the Contest Hall Lobby.

"What do you mean he's missing?"

"I _mean_ " Carmen's voice repeated over the pokedex. "That someone has sprung him out of jail, for one reason or another."

"But-" Saki began. "But we were supposed to watch the Finals of the Grand Festival together!"

"So you don't know where he is either?" Carmen asked with a suspicious tone.

"Hey!" Saki snapped back. "I happen to like keeping a tight leash on Huey. You were the ones who shoved him in that cell where anyone could just have let him out!"

"So you didn't break in with a pokemon that knows Dig or anything?" Carmen asked again, getting audibly annoyed by talking to Saki.

"None of my pokemon even _know_ that move!" Saki huffed.

She looked around the lobby.

 _So I've been waiting around here for no reason at all? Great. We could have gotten better seats to watch the finals, but the idiot stands me up._

Saki quickly searched through her pokedex for a contact, and dialed their number.

"Hello?" Ethel answered on the other end.

"Where have you hidden Huey?" Saki asked. "I know it was-"

"I don't have the slightest clue what you're talking about, sorry."

The pokedex clicked and hung up.

"You've got to be freaking kidding me…" Saki huffed as she put her pokedex back in her hakama's tie.

 _I guess I have to watch the finals by myself. Oh well. I'll have him explain himself to me later._

 _Oooh, maybe I'll see if he begs for forgiveness, or maybe I can get him to buy me food again…_

Saki entered the stadium thinking happy thoughts of bossing Hue around and sat down, ready to view the Finals of the Grand Festival.

[Grand Festival Final Match]

[Davon Le Rouge VS Twilight Church]

[Vaporeon and Tangela VS Tentacruel and Scyther]

No one needed an introduction or anything. Every single person in that stadium was waiting on the edge of their seat as Davon Le Rouge and Twilight Church, the two Grand Festival Finalists, faced each other on opposite sides of the stage.

Davon's Vaporeon and Tangela had made their graceful entrance, while Twilight's Tentacruel and Scyther had managed to wow the viewers with their tough looking design appeal.

Truly, Saki didn't think she would ever see two styles so vastly different going head to head against each other in such a large competition ever again.

 _I would route for one or the other, but...I don't want to make it seem like I'm_ not _cheering on whoever doesn't get my official support. I guess I'll have to just keep to myself._

"3!" The audience counted down with a large timer on the monitor.

"2!" Davon and Twilight stared each other down, neither one of them flinching.

Saki leaned towards the stage as she stuffed her face with popcorn.  
"S-sorry I'm late!" Hue quickly sat down next to Saki as he put up the hood of his blue jacket, as though he thought it was enough to avoid detection.

"Where the -ack- Where the heck were you?" Saki asked as she nearly choked on the popcorn she was eating.  
"I'll explain later." Hue promised. "But for now, let's watch "

"1!" The audience cheered.

 _I'm so going to give you the_ glare _while you explain yourself._

"Battle...Start!" Everyone announced. And just like that, the Grand Festival Finals had begun.

"Tangela, Grassy Terrain!" Davon began without hesitation.

"Tannnngelaaa!" The Tangela shouted as a whole bunch of grass sprouted all over the stage, catching both Tentacruel and Scyther off-guard.

"And the stage has been turned into a literal playing field!" The announcer announced. "Just what is Le Rouge thinking, and how is Church going to react?"

"Tentacruel!" Twilight called out. "Use Wrap on Tangela! Scyther, use Fury Cutter to cut the grass down!"

"Scythaaa!" Twilight's Scyther exclaimed as it zipped by cutting down the long grass that had grown all over the stage.

"Amazing!' The announcer announced. "Scyther is cleaning the stage back up! It looks like whatever effect Le Rouge was trying to accomplish is backfiring on him already!"

"Vaporeon!" Davon announced. "Use Aurora Beam on the field, keep that grass from being cut! Tangela, counter the Wrap with your Tickle Attack!"

"Vaporeooooonnn!" Vaporeon announced as it shot the most beautiful beam of light at all the grass that Scyther was cutting, not only freezing the grass solid, but giving it a distinct aurora-like glow.

"And just like that, Le Rouge has taken control of the grassy terrain situation!" The announcer exclaimed, excitedly. "Grassy Terrain has become _Spiky_ Terrain!"

"Tangela!" Tangela announced as it jumped into Tentacruel's Wrap and began to Tickle it relentlessly.

"Cruel, Cruel, Cruel!" Tentacruel began laughing.

"And just like that Le Rouge has once again turned the tide in his favor!" The announcer couldn't help but comment. "Neither one of these Coordinators seems to want to give an inch here folks!"

"Scyther!" Twilight yelled. "Swords Dance and then Fury Cutter once again! You can shatter that frozen grass and give the audience a show!"

"Scythhherrrr!" Scyther began to use Swords Dance, which in itself was a move that the audience absolutely loved seeing.

"Vaporeon!" Davon called out. "Don't let Scyther smash the grass! Use Aurora Beam on it! Put it out!"

"Scyther!" Twilight called as Vaporeon's Aurora Beam zipped towards it. "Use Agility!"

"Scythe!" Scyther managed to just barely dodge the Aurora Beam in question.

"Now break the grass and give the audience a dazzle!' Twilight announced.

"Scyther!" The Scyther used Fury Cutter on the remaining frozen grass, effectively shattering it, creating a giant poof of what looked like it could be glitter and confetti around the pokemon on the stage.

The crowd went wild.

Davon grinned. "Excellent job, Lady Church, but you've been had."

"What are you talking about Le Rouge?" Twilight asked.

Davon pointed.

"Tangela…." His Tangela gave and evil smile as it continuously Tickled Tentacruel.

"Tangela!" Davon called out. "Close up Slam let's go!"

"Tentacruel!" Twilight called back. "Sludge Wave quickly!"

As Tangela slammed into Tentacruel, a whole mess of purple sludge shot up and began to rain down on both Vaporeon and Scyther.

"Both Tangela and Tentacruel are down!" The ref announced. "Twilight and Davon are both down to their last pokemon each."

"And they both need to be quick and clever with them, or else the raining sludge will take them both out as well!" The announcer chimed in, excited.

"Scyther, quick, use Agility to dodge the drops, and Fury Cutter to hit away the ones you can't!"

"Scythaaa…" Scyther began dance-dodging the falling poison, hitting away the ones that they couldn't dodge.

The crowd went wild with applause.

"Vaporeon!" Davon called out as the sludge got closer to the ground, "use Acid armor!"

"Vaporeon…" Vaporeon began to melt itself into water, and as the Sludge fell, it attempted to slide away from the drops.

Soon, it became apparent to everyone that Vaporeon was not dodging nearly as much of the sludge as Scyther was.

"The hell is going on there?" Hue wondered.

Saki thought about it. "Probably another plan. For someone constantly admonished as a fop by Karen, he's been pretty solid with developing strategies."

"He'd have to be if he operates on a rule that he can only use pokemon that are blue in color." Hue noted. "It really limits the pokemon you can bring to a contest, especially here in Kanto where there isn't much variety to begin with compared to some of the other regions."

"Give it up Le Rouge!" Twilight said. "I've got this in the bag! Scyther, finish off his Vaporeon with a Night Slash, let's go!"

"Scytherrr!" Scyther charged for the Vaporeon as its blades started to darken for the Night Slash.

"Heh." Davon laughed. "To think that it has come down to this."

He brushed back his gelled blonde hair, and stuck out a finger as he made a pose not unlike an Ace Attorney character making an objection.

"Vaporeon!" He announced. "Make full use of the sludge you collected in your Muddy Water finale!"

"Vaporrrrr….eee…" The Vaporeon began to grow as water began to circle around it. The frost even left the cut grass from earlier to come back to Vaporeon for its attack.

"Whoo." Saki said, looking at the giant vortex of Muddy Water that Davon's Vaporeon had created.

"Oh...Sh-" Twilight began.

"Onnnnnnnn!" The Vaporeon launched the giant Muddy Water vortex that it had created straight at the charging Scyther.

The giant splash collision happened at the exact same time as the buzzer sounding.

"What an amazing battle that was!' The announcer exclaimed. "These two Coordinators both gave it their very best! And it looks like…"

"Both Vaporeon and Scyther are unable to battle!" The ref concluded. "Time is up, and the match will be decided by remaining points!"

Davon and Twilight both returned their pokemon as the judges analyzed the portraits of each Coordinator, which, to the untrained eye, looked completely tied.

"We have a winner!" The announcer announced after conferring with the judges.

"The winner of this year's Grand Festival, the Kanto Cup, and the title of Top Coordinator is…"

She waited for a second.

"Can I get a drumroll please?" She asked.

Some member of the staff began making a drumroll noise.

"The winner is…."

And there was a moment of silence.

A moment so long that Saki felt it would kill her.

 _Come on, I just want to know who won! I really want to move on to the Pokemon League Tournament already!_

"The winner…" The announcer repeated with a smile on her face.

The winner's portrait then took over the monitor along with the pokemon they used to help them, and every person who chimed in supporting them.

The crowd went into a cheering frenzy.

"Is Davon Le Rouge!" The announcer finished amongst the cheering crowd. "Congratulations to our Grand Festival champion and newest Top Coordinator!"

"I'd like to thank everyone who helped me get this far." Davon said. "I'd especially like to thank my younger brother for showing me all the support that he has. I hope he's doing well in his Trainer's School, but from the looks of how his face is among my supporters, I'd hazard a guess that he's doing just fine. Make some friends, Skye, alright?"

The crowd laughed and cheered along with him as he talked about his personal experiences as a Male Coordinator and about how he looked up to Wallace as a role model in the place of an absent father.

"Huey, come on." Saki said. "Let's leave so you can tell me about where the heck you've been all morning."

"I'd like, if I may…" Davon's tone suddenly changed just before Hue and Saki were out of the hall.

"To address my good friends Saki Muranaka and Hubert Swanson."

Saki and Hue both froze.

"Saki, I'm supposed to be missing right now." Hue whispered. "I have to pretend that isn't me."

"But I can't just leave without listening to what he says either." Saki argued.

"I'll wait for you in a corner in the lobby, and I'll ask anyone who catches me to contact you if they do. But don't worry, I should be fine."

"Alright." Saki reluctantly agreed, mainly due to the fact that she didn't have time to argue.

"The two of you…" Davon began. "Have been accused of being controlled by monsters. Recently, it has come to my attention that one or all of the Deoxys surrounding you is responsible for the death of my father, who was a resident of a small criminal rehabilitation community on Five Island. I cannot stand for that! I will rid you of them myself during the Pokemon League, by any means necessary, even if I must pry the DNA out of you myself!"

 _Crap….that was when Aura was still inside me wasn't it? I….I never meant to-..._

Saki turned and left the room.

 _Even though it wasn't really_ me _, I still feel guilty about it. Maybe if I'd have been stronger, or found a way to forgive NTR members, even just former ones, Aura wouldn't have taken control like that…_

 _But...I technically, am not Aura's trainer anymore. Huey is, which means she'll eventually begin to adopt his mindset. I'll never be able to forgive Chandler, or Koichi and the Fighting Dojo or NTR for everything that I've had to go through….I don't think I'll ever forgive them, and I do want them all to just...disappear...but…_

 _What I really want, more than anything in the world..._

"Saki, wait up!" Hue called after her, snapping her back into reality as she hurried out of the Contest Hall's lobby.

"Didn't you want to hear about what I've been doing?"

Saki turned, hoping that he wouldn't notice how sad she was feeling from listening to what Davon had said. "Depends." She said. "Does it have a happy ending? It better have a happy ending."

"I suppose it has a happy ending." Hue replied. "But…I don't think its the kind you were looking for."

Saki sighed. As much as that sounded like a story she didn't want to hear, she _did_ want to know what had prompted Hue to escape and what he had done to make him nearly miss the Grand Festival Finals.

*Hours Earlier*

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Water Pulse, Skull Bash, Iron Defense, Rain Dance

Akane(Ditto): Transform

Vasquez: Horn Attack, Stomp, Bulldoze, Smack Down

Gordon: Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Bruce: Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

Betruger: Constrict, Peck, Reflect, Substitute

Other:

Deus/Aura: Psycho Boost, Extremespeed/Hyper Beam, Recover/Zap Cannon, Psycho Shift

"Where the heck are you taking me?" Hue asked as Victor zoomed the two of them away on his Tauros.

"We're going to Mt. Silver. That's where she is." Victor replied.

 _She? Cherry? It certainly isn't Twilight._

"Taurrros." Victor's Tauros announced as it came to a screeching halt in front of a rundown hovel of a building.

"What the hell is this place?" Hue wondered.

"A drug den!" Aura chimed in, causing pain in Hue's head.

"I'd have to agree this time actually." Deus agreed, only adding to the pain. "Sorry, we'll leave now."

"This place…" Victor announced. "Is where my sister lives."

 _He has a sister?_

"You have a sister?" Hue asked.

"The same age as yours in fact." Victor extrapolated. "They would even be attending in Aspertia together this year too, but…"

Victor opened the door.

Hue could smell the ever so pleasant stench of vomit without so much as needing to waft it.

"Who..*aughh*...is it*augh*augh*augh*?" A young girl with flaky skin and strangled red hair asked in between fits of coughs that Hue didn't need to be a doctor to know were severe at the very least.

"It's me." Victor said. "Don't worry. I've brought some food for you."

 _He doesn't mean me does he?_ Hue wondered.

Victor then took out a knife from his pocket.

 _Oh shit, he does mean me…_

Victor then peeled an Oran Berry.

 _Oh. That makes sense too._

"Here." He said as he handed it to the tiny girl, sick in bed.

"I've brought someone with me this time too."

"*augh*augh*augh*augh*W-why did you *augh*augh* do that?" The girl asked. "He won't *augh* know what's wrong…"

"Dammit, Cerice, I'm trying all that I can to get you the medicine you need, alright? I can't just-"

"Wait, you've been _trying_ to get medicine?" Hue asked, confused.

 _Normally all you've ever done is act like an asshole and try to win a bunch of-...Ohhhhhhhhhh._

"That's why you're always trying to win a bunch of money when you battle or sign up for certain events." Hue said as he looked at Victor, who had his attention too focused on Cerice to look back.

"Because we don't know what's wrong with her." Victor said. "The only medicine we can use for a sure result would be Secret Potion, but that stuff is rare as all hell, and it's fucking expensive. No way can a pokemon trainer make enough money for it just by playing it fair."

"*augh*augh*Mr. Person…" Cerice coughed to Hue. "Please*augh*augh*augh*...Please don't take Victor's attitude the wrong way. He's *augh*augh*...he's already *augh*augh*augh* lost our older *augh*augh*augh* sister to a similar sickness, when *augh* neither one *augh*augh* of us was old enough to train *augh*augh*augh*augh*augh* pokemon...uggh…"

"I-Is that true?" Hue turned to ask Victor.

"-rong…" Victor mumbled bitterly.

 _Wrong?_

"That's wrong?"

"Why couldn't I be strong?!" Victor yelled as he kicked a piece of wood in the wall so hard it broke.

Judging from the way Cerice reacted, or rather, didn't, Hue deduced that this was a common occurrence.

"So, if you don't know what's wrong with her, she might recover anyway right?"

"Impossible." Victor said as Cerice turned her head away from the conversation.

"We've brought in every doctor and Nurse Joy we could, and each time they gave a decreasing amount of days left until…"

Victor tried to kick the wall again, but his foot just hit an empty hole.

"The last one said *augh*augh*augh* I have *augh* until *augh*augh* 6:00 AM Tomorrow morning, give *augh*augh*augh* or take a few *augh* minutes." Cerice interjected.

"We thought Mt. Silver's air would help, but it seems like it did absolutely nothing. If things keep going on like this, she's going to end up just like…"

Victor instinctively turned and Hue noticed a framed picture on a fireplace that was likely the building's only source of heat whatsoever judging from the lack of insulation in the walls.

In the picture, Hue could see a young boy who looked like he was probably Victor, an infant which was likely Cerice, and…

"Is that your older sister?" Hue asked as he pointed.

"Y-yeah." Victor didn't want to talk about her. "That's her. Nakoma Grail...She was...amazing. She won the Sinnoh league once you know, and that was around the same time…"

"She started to get sick…" Hue said as Victor nodded.

"She practically raised both Cerice and I." Victor remembered. "And now it looks like whatever Tauros-shit disease she caught in Sinnoh is making its way here."

 _A disease caught...in Sinnoh…_

"I've decided then." Hue said as he looked to Victor and Cerice. "I'm going to help you and go along with whatever plan you've got to cure her."

"Obviously, the ideal thing to do." Victor began, "Would be to get our hands on a Secret Potion, but…"

"But I don't have nearly enough money for that either." Hue replied. "And even if I did, It was all taken away from me when I was put behind bars."

"You aren't *augh*augh*augh* a criminal, are *augh*you?" Cerice asked.

"Swanson? No way." Victor said. "To be perfectly honest, Cerice, I think the person who put him away is probably corrupt."

 _Well, this is some unexpected sticking up for me...And also some incredibly accurate guesses...my goodness, where were you when I was investigating murders?_

"In any case…" Huie continued. "What do we do?"

"Well…" Victor said. " _You_ can work some of your healing magic on Cerice."  
"Healing magic? Look, I don't know what-"

"Don't play dumb with me, Swanson! We all saw it! You have Deoxys DNA inside of you! Let some of it flow through Cerice and then take it back out, you should only need to touch her, right?"

"Well, I need a way to transfer the DNA directly into her though…" Hue said going a little red with embarrassment. "And I can think of quite a few things wrong with-"

"Mother of Mew, Swanson, I'm not telling you to fucking kiss her." Victor sighed.

He handed Hue the knife.

"I did some research. The two of you have the same blood type. Just give each of your fingers a little poke and handle the rest from there."

 _Well guys, do you think we can do it?_

"I know Recover at least…" Deus said.

"And we both know Psycho Shift." Aura continued. "We could spread the disease out amongst the two of you and deal with it a little at a time."

"Success rate of 70 percent." Deus said.

 _70 percent doesn't sound so good...can we do anything else?_

"You don't want to do the other one." Deus answered. "It involves giving us to Cerice entirely, and…"

"Yeah, there's no telling _what_ I'll do in that body." Aura joked.

"Actually, my problem was that Hue is too far away from any sort of hospital or pokemon center to recover from the pain that he would likely experience. Unless a miracle happened, he'd likely die."

"Then we should go with the 70% success plan." Aura said. "It's still more likely to succeed than fail."

"Alright then." Hue said as he took the knife.

"This is going to sting a little Cerice, and then, for a while, your head is going to hurt an awful lot, but whatever you do, don't pull your hand away."

Cerice managed to nod, showing that she understood.

For the entire night, until the sun began to rise, Hue stood there, concentrating, while Cerice wailed out and coughed in pain, and Victor watche out to make sure no one came to the disturb them.

It was exactly 6:00 AM when Hue finally pulled his finger away with a sigh.

"Well?" He asked.

"I…." Cerice said as color returned to her previously pale face. "I feel...so much...sleepier…"

"Wait, is she good to go?" Victor asked. "Did it fucking work, Swanson? Swanson, did it fucking work?"

He began to shake Hue back and forth.

"Yes, yes!" Hue answered. "It worked, your idea worked, but-"

"Swanson, you magnificent bastard!" Victor let go of him and ran to Cerice.

'Cerice, is it true, do you really feel better?"

"I...I think so." Cerice yawned. "But…"

"Victor…." Hue was afraid about what he was going to tell him.

"While we working on Cerice, we discovered something. Whatever disease she had, it clearly was responsible for making her blind...and…"

"I was told by the pokemon who helped heal me." Cerice said. "Victor, I don't think my eyes will ever work again."

"Who the hell cares?" Victor asked with tears in his eyes as the normally large and intimidating Victor Grail collapsed over his younger sister in a loving hug.

"You're alive…" Victor almost laughed. "And you're not sick...You're going to live Cerice! We can...we can finally move back to-"

*Weeeeeeeeoooooooooooooooo*

Police sirens began to circle around the area.

"Hubert Swanson and accomplice!" An Officer Jenny shouted. "Please come out with your hands up."

 _Oh...fuck…_

"Swanson." Victor put a hand on Hue's shoulder.

Hue looked back, and, for the first time, saw a legitimate happy smile on Victor's face. "Let me take care of this. It's the least I can do to repay you for this."

"Go through that hatch in the ground there." Cerice turned her head towards a small trapdoor beside the bed. "I'll move my bed over it once you're through. Follow it and you'll end up right behind the Contest Hall in the Indigo Plateau, and thank you again for healing me Mr. Swanson."

"Y-yeah…" Hue said, as he looked at the smiling Grails, ready to stand up to the Police for him.

"You're Welcome…"

"So are you." Victor gave a nod with a smile more fitting of his smug character as Hue left through the trapdoor.

"And that's the end of the story." Hue told Saki, back in the present.

Saki put her hands to her mouth.

"That. Was. Beautiful!" She nearly squealed.

"Huey, you saved a little girl's life just now using the Deoxys DNA!"

Hue, unaware of how the story of a life being saved thanks to the Deoxys DNA was almost exactly what Saki needed to hear at the moment, responded blankly like he always did in those types of situations, with an answer that made Saki even happier.

"I just.." He said with a nervous laugh.

"I just did what I thought you would want me to do."


	83. Pokemon League Opening Ceremonies

*This is a short chapter because it's just an opening ceremonies*

*Play the Olympic Anthem-Bugler's Dream for maximum enjoyment of the ceremony*

Chapter 83:

Pokemon League Opening Ceremonies

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Water Pulse, Skull Bash, Iron Defense, Rain Dance

Espella(Espeon): Morning Sun, Swift, Psybeam, Future Sight

Gumshoe(Arcanine): Odor Sleuth, Extremespeed, Flare Blitz, Wild Charge

Ace(Pidgeot): Roost, Wing Attack, Feather Dance, Mirror Move

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Icicle Crash, Shell Smash

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Helping Hand

Other:

Deus/Aura: Psycho Boost, Extremespeed/Hyper Beam, Recover/Zap Cannon, Psycho Shift

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" Andle Ross addressed the crowd of the main Indigo Arena while all 256 Pokemon League Participants lined up next to each other, each allowed one pokemon beside them,

"Welcome, one and all, to the Indigo Plateau! We are gathered here today to start off the festivities and begin the Pokemon League Tournament!"

Hue was brought in by Carmen.

"You escaped." She whispered in his ear. "Why did you turn yourself back in right away? You could be halfway to Goldenrod by now."

"I told you." Hue half-lied in response. "I was kidnapped, so I broke free and returned. No harm no foul."

"Well, the police looked like idiots when they interrogated those two Grail children." Carmen responded. "And I'd rather you not put me out of a job _again_."

Hue gulped.

"Well, I'm here now, so...can the cuffs come off?"

"Huey! Huey!" Saki waved from where she and Karakara were standing. "We saved you a spot in the lineup!"

Carmen led Hue to his spot before take off his handcuffs.

"One pokemon allowed outside its pokeball." She told him, before heading away.

Hue decided to let Douglas out.

This was the pokemon he began his journey with. It was only fitting.

"Blaaastoise." Douglass nodded at Hue happily.

 _Even though you've been in my party, It's been a really long time since we've seen each other, huh buddy?_

Douglas turned and beamed at Saki and Karakara.

"Blaaass."

Karakara looked away with a huff while Saki laughed.

"We're happy to see you too Douglas." She said.

"Shush back there." A trainer in front of them said. "It's happening."

"People of the Indigo Area, these trainers have all proven their strength throughout the past year!" Andle continued. "Each and every one of them has managed to earn all eight badges from around Kanto, and earned the right to compete in this year's Pokemon League Tournament! To these Trainers, Pokemon are more than just friends or partners, to these trainers, Pokemon are like _family._ "

"Oh, the twisted meaning behind that statement…" Saki growled under her breath.

She turned to face Hue.

"Huey, we gotta make it to the finals so one of us can win this thing! We can't get him to slip up and reveal himself unless its one of us who battles him!"

"Right." Hue nodded. _And he_ should _still know how I can get rid of the Deoxys DNA._

"For those of you that don't know…" Andle continued. "I will offer a brief explanation of this year's rules of the Pokemon League Tournament!"

 _Alright Hue, pay attention. These rules will be important to keep in mind._

"During the first four rounds of the tournament…" Andle began. "Each trainer will compete in each of our four terrain fields of Grass, Water, Ice, and Rock. Each of these matches will be a 3v3 Single Battle. During these battles, substitution of pokemon is expressly forbidden. After the first four rounds, the Top 16 will move back here, into Indigo Stadium, where the remainder of the Pokemon League Tournament battles will take place."

Hue nodded. _In order to progress to the Top 16 and enter Indigo Stadium, I need to win a match on each of the terrain fields first. That goes for everyone else as well._

"At this point," Andle continued. "The Top 16 will partake in special 1v1 battles against their next opponents that have no bearing on the tournament itself other than for judges to evaluate the trainers based on the scenario at hand. After this, betting on matches will be open to the general public, and the favor to win will be made known before the start of each match."

 _Okay...So there's a bit of breather kind of where a couple 1v1 matches are held for evaluation purposes before we return to the actual tournament._

"Afterwards, we will continue on to the Top 16 matchups, where the Top 16 will face each other in 3v3 Single Battles, where, once again, substitution is expressly forbidden. A pokemon being returned to its pokeball will not be able to return back to the field."

 _So after the evaluation battles, I'll have a 3v3 official battle against the same opponent._

"Finally, once we get to the Top 8." Andle continued. "The matches will be Full Battles with trainers using 6 pokemon each. Once again, substitution is expressly forbidden. The matches will continue in this format for the remainder of the Tournament."

 _So, once it's Top 8, it's Full Battle until the Tournament Ends, alright._

"Finally." Andle began. "I have made the announcement that this year, instead of fighting the Elite 4 seated behind me…"

Andle pointed to Misty, Koga, Bruno, and Sabrina, the current Indigo Elite 4 members.

"The Pokemon League Tournament Champion will have the right to challenge me for my title directly!" Andle announced as the crowd cheered explosive cheers.

Hue noticed Saki ball up a fist, staring directly up at Andle.

 _She seems more determined to win than ever right now._

"Now, trainers…" Andle addressed the trainers in the arena. "Please make way while the Torch Bearer comes through to lit the Pokemon League Giant Torch with the flame of Moltres itself!"

The trainers all stepped aside to make room for the runner that came in carrying the Moltres Flame.

As they did so, Hue noticed Ethel across from him, her Gardevoir was beside her.

As both her and her pokemon's eyes ended up locking with Hue's, she and her Gardevoir both instinctively turned away and shielded the bottom of their necks from view with their hands.

 _The hell is that about?_

"Isn't dealing with an ex fun?" Aura asked from inside Hue's head, once again causing pain.

 _Go away…_ Hue thought as hard as he could, managing to push Aura back into subconscious by himself.

"With the lighting of this fire…" Andle said as the runner dipped the torch in the large basin, creating a large Moltres Flame, that made the entire stadium light up, and would likely keep the stadium completely lit even late at night.

"I hereby announce the official beginning of the Indigo Area Pokemon League Tournament!"

Everyone in the stadium cheered, excited to see all the trainers finally compete in the end-all be-all tournament to decide the strongest, at least for the year.

As different trainers were directed to different areas for drawing matchups, Hue was taken aside by Andle himself.

"Hello, Hubert." Andle said with a firm but fake smile, as there were still people around. "I trust we've been treating you well during your time in our holding cell."

"It's been an absolute delight." Hue responded what he had intended to only sarcastically think.

"I see. You're bitter." Andle frowned.

"Of course I'm bitter. I was arrested just because I have a Deoxys in me. You'd be bitter too if that's what got you arrested wouldn't you?"

"I suppose so!" Andle gave a bit of a laugh. "It's good to see you still have somewhat of a sense of humor, what with no longer being human and all."

 _Saki, how you could stand there and not run up and deck this guy in the face during the entire opening ceremony is beyond me. He's been harassing me for a total of one minute and I already want to take a swing._

"You wanna take a swing?" Aura asked inside Hue's head.

 _Wait, no-!_

Andle caught Hue's punch.

"Th-that-" Hue began.

"It wasn't you?" Andle asked. "Are you not the one that told me that pokemon do what their trainer wants?"

"He's gotcha there." Aura giggled.

 _Why can't either one of you just shut up?_

"In any case." Andle said as he gave Hue his hand back. "I'm here to inform you of how we've decided to pass sentencing on you, and we've decided."

 _We? Who's 'we'?_

"Your trial, Hubert Swanson, if you are still even truly Hubert Swanson, will be none other than the Pokemon League itself."

"What?" Hue asked confused.

"It's very simple." Andle continued. "Unlike the regular matches, you will face opponents who have volunteered to battle you in order to stop you in your tracks. It'd be awful for a pokemon to become champion, now wouldn't it? Imagine the grudge it might have against people."

 _Like you're any better…._

"If you manage to defeat every opponent, and me, then you will be forgiven for all the wrongs the Deoxys inside of you have caused."

 _He's going to say "but" now isn't-?_

"But…" Andle said.

 _Arceus damn it._

"If you lose even a single battle, you'll be dropped down into the dungeons under the stadiums, where you will spend the rest of your life rotting away. Sound fair?"

"No!" Hue replied rather aggravated. "That sounds incredibly unfair!"

Andle sighed. "Very well then. I didn't want to do this…"

He turned to face those who were still watching.

"At the defendant's request- as we are obligated to oblige. Any who volunteer to defeat Hubert Swanson and fail to do so will be sentenced to his same fate, and dropped into the dungeons to die."

"That's not what I meant when I said it was unfair!" Hue yelled.

"Police!" Andle snapped his fingers. "He's getting violent and agitated! He needs to be taken away immediately!"

Hue couldn't do anything but snarl towards Andle as Carmen and some Officer Jennys took him out of the stadium.

"Good Morning Indigo Plateau!" Andle announced the next morning. "Today, we have our match ups for the first round of the Pokemon League Tournament! We've divded the trainers into four different blocks, A, B, C, and D, which will move around each of the four fields until we reach our Top 16! For this round, Block A's matches will take place on the Ice field, Block B's matches will take place on the Rock field, Block C's matches will take place on the Water field, and Block D's matches will take place on the Grass field!"

 _And I'm block D.._ Hue thought to himself. _D for Deoxys maybe...eh. Probably just coincidence. At least Saki is in block A. We can definitely make it to the finals if we give it our all….but…_

Hue was stuck on what Andle had said to him the previous day.

 _I don't want to send anyone to their deaths._

"Please, direct your attention the the monitors nearest you for the matchups!" Andle announced.

"Huh." Saki said as she noticed hers. She turned to Hue with a grin.

"I'm fighting…..Sierra…..Randolph first." She spoke coyly in attempt to get Hue to laugh, but she couldn't.

Hue could hardly believe what he was seeing.

"How can I be facing him?" He wondered.

"He should be...I thought he was...arrested…"

"Hm?" Saki asked as she leaned over to look, and her eyes shrunk as well.

Hue's first opponent…

...was unmistakably Lee Callahan.


	84. Now Begins The End

Chapter 84:

Now Begins The End

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Water Pulse, Skull Bash, Iron Defense, Rain Dance

Espella(Espeon): Morning Sun, Swift, Psybeam, Future Sight

Gumshoe(Arcanine): Odor Sleuth, Extremespeed, Flare Blitz, Wild Charge

Ace(Pidgeot): Roost, Wing Attack, Feather Dance, Mirror Move

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Icicle Crash, Shell Smash

Arthur(Gallade): Psycho Cut, Night Slash, Swords Dance, Helping Hand

Other:

Deus/Aura: Psycho Boost, Extremespeed/Hyper Beam, Recover/Zap Cannon, Psycho Shift

"Will each block please report to their stadium for today?" Andle asked over the speakers throughout the plateau grounds.

"My match is pretty early in the Block A lineup, so I gotta go." Saki said as she sat up from the table where she and Hue had shared their breakfast of festival foods.

"And I'm in Block D." Hue remembered. "And I'm fighting that boy again…"

 _Lee Callahan...The strange boy whose father committed a triple murder, and who committed a murder himself just to see his father again._

"Well that's a scary thing to think about." Aura said from inside Hue's mind.

 _Be quiet._ Hue thought forcefully.

It was getting harder and harder for him to keep Aura in check. She was likely adjusting to the way his nervous system worked.

"You seem worried." a voice said behind Hue.

He turned to see Donovan.

"Don't you have to get to your Block's field?" Hue asked, confused.

"I'm in D block too, bro. Don't worry though, I won't volunteer or anything. That'd be too fucked up."

"I am worried." Hue admitted. "I managed to get every last bit of Aura out of Saki but now I've been slowly losing control of myself. I can't defend against an Attack Forme Deoxys, you know?"

"It sounds like you need a Defense Forme Deoxys." Donovan shrugged. "But I don't know where you'd find one."

 _Assuming Junzo's Deoxys, PJ, is Normal Forme, I can find the Defense Forme Deoxys with-...Ethel. Lately she seems to be the person all my problems are pointing me towards. But she's in C block, so it isn't like I'll have a chance to talk to her anytime soon. And even if I did, she's been avoiding contact with me like the plague._

"I just don't want to do something I'll end up regretting." Hue said. "I feel as though every single shitty thing that has happened to me could have been avoided if I'd just refused to look into any of the mysteries surrounding me, you know?."

"Well, you know what they say." Donovan said. "When ignorance is bliss, it's folly to be wise."

He put his hand on Hue's shoulder. "But that shouldn't mean anything, right? The fact of the matter is that you made the conscious decision to put an end to all of this nonsense, and I'm sure you still believe that you made the right one. Yes, the decisions you made might have had some cons to them, but that doesn't mean that you made bad decisions. Do you understand what I'm trying to say? I'm not the best at explaining these things. It's usually more your territory. So snap out of this trance you're in okay?"

"S-sure." Hue said as Donovan patted him on the back.

 _It wasn't what you said that calmed me down, Donovan, but more the fact that I know without a doubt that you believe in me._

[Pokemon League Tournament!]

[Preliminary Round Number 1!]

[Ice Field Match: Saki Muranaka VS Sierra Randolph]

"Are you ready?" Saki asked Sierra as she held out a pokeball.

"I sure am." Sierra replied rather unenthusiastically as she held out her own pokeball.

"Battle, Start!" The referee called out.

"Go!" Both trainers yelled as the tossed out their pokeballs onto the Ice Field.

The battlefield itself looked very similar to a dirt battlefield, save for the fact that it was completely frozen over, with a stalagmite of ice in each corner of the field.

"Bellossom!" Nazono announced as he danced around the field on Saki's side.

"Lampennnnt." Sierra's Lampent hissed as it exited out of its pokeball.

"It looks like Saki's first pokemon is Bellossom, while Sierra has gone with Lampent!" The announcer said over the loudspeakers.

"Let's see how the trainers react!"

"Careful Nazono!" Saki called out. "This is an Ice Field and we're up against a Fire type pokemon...Let's give it our best!"

"Bellossom!" Nazono gave Saki a thumbs up.

"Then allow me to make the first move." Sierra said. "Lampent, use Flame Burst!"

"Laaammmpent!" Lampent shot a Fireball towards Nazono.

"Dodge it with Petal Dance!" Saki called out.

"B-belloss-Ossum!" Nazono Petal Danced his way around the attack.

Saki took notice as the flames began to melt the Ice behind Nazono into water.

"So that's your game…" She said with a smirk. "If you want to play that way, fine! Nazono, let's send a Leaf Storm Lampent's way!"

"Belllossssommmm!" Nazono summoned up a barrage of leaves and shot them at the Lampent.

"Lampent!" Sierra called back. "Counter with Overheat!"

"Laaaaaammmmm!" The Lampent began to overheat, sending fierce flames everywhere, redcuing all the leaves from the Leaf Storm to cinders, but also…

"Amazing!' The announcer said over the loudspeakers. "Thanks to that overheat and all the flaming leaves, Sierra's half of the field has been completely melted down into water!"

"Leaf Blade, Nazono!" Saki called out. "Use it to splash the water up to the Lampent!"

"Bellossom!" Nazono began to twirl his arms and splash water up in Lampent's direction.

"Lampent!" Sierra retaliated. "Dodge and use Will-O-Wisp!"

"Pennnt!" The Lampent managed to just barely dodge the large splashes of water and shot out ghostly fires which began to circle around Nazono until they burned themselves into him.

"Bellossom!" Nazono hunched over.

"Nazono!" Saki called out.

"Now, let's finish this off with a Hex attack!" Sierra announced.

"Pennnnt!" Lampent shot a ghostly energy towards Nazono, which completely knocked him over on his side.

"Bellossom is unable to battle!" The ref called out. "The winner is Lampent!"

"Tch." Saki said as she returned Nazono. "You did really well out there." She smiled at her Bellossom's pokeball. "Thank you for holding your own for so long against that pokemon."

Saki then looked to where Karakara was standing beside her.

"You're up Karakara." She smiled. "Let's avenge Nazono okay?"  
"Cuuu!" Karakara yelled as she charged out onto the ice and slipped, falling on her stomach.

"Careful out there Karakara!" Saki called after the Cubone. "It'll be slippery!"

"It looks like Saki's second pokemon is her Cubone!" The announcer exclaimed. "It seems that the type advantage has shifted sides!"

"Not that it matters!" Sierra announced. "Lampent, use Overheat once more! Melt Saki's side of the battlefield!"

"Lammmm-" Lampent began to overheat again.

Saki grinned.

"Alright Karakara, let's use it! Earth Power!"

A rumble began below the battlefield.

"What's Earth Power going to do?" Sierra asked. "There's no ground under Lampent right now, just-"

"A whole bunch of _water_!" Saki exclaimed as scalding hot water shot up and enveloped Sierra's Lampent entirely.

"Now let's hit it with a Bonemerang for good measure!" Saki called out again.

"Cuuu-Bone!" Karakara tossed her bone as it hit Lampent directly, as well as on the way back, causing the pokemon to plummet to the ice.

"Lampent is unable to battle!" The ref called out. "The winner is Cubone!"

"Alright then…" Sierra took out another pokeball. "Go! Castform!"

"Caaaassss!" The Castfrom stated as it floated around in the air.

"Now _there's_ an interesting pokemon…" Saki said as she held up her pokedex.

"[Castform]." Her pokedex informed her. "The [Weather] Pokemon. Castform is able to transform its appearance depending on the weather. It uses the power of nature to transform in order to protect its small body."

"Alright then…" Saki said. "I guess it's attacks are weather based…"

"Rain Dance!" Sierra called out.  
"Castforrrm!" Castform hollered as it summoned a large amount of storm clouds and rain began to drizzle down.

"Rain huh?" Saki wondered aloud as Karakara caught some drops in her hand.

"Alright. I think I see what you're playing at." She grinned.

"Karakara, use Perish Song!"

"Cu-uuu-boooo-onnne-" Karakara sang into her bone as though it was a microphone.

The hideous notes found their way to Castform, and Sierra grunted in distaste.

"You really think that you can win by sacrificing your pokemon like that?"

"Oh, I have zero intention of letting Karakara _faint_." Saki said. "In fact-..."

She held out Karakara's pokeball and returned her.

"I know I've won this battle."

"Cubone is unable to battle!" The ref called out. "The winner is Castform."

"Well?" Saki asked Sierra. "What's it going to be? Are you going to try to return Castform, or allow them to faint because of Perish Song?'

"Tch…" Sierra clicked. "I got the Rain Dance out anyway, that's all I wanted."

"Interesting." Saki smirked. "I'm glad you got the Rain Dance out too! Kodu, I choose you!"

"Golduck!" Kodu announced as she posed on Saki's icy half of the field.

"Ah!" Sierra exclaimed. "I see your game! Well it's not gonna work! Castform is staying in! Castform, get rid of the rain and use Sunny Day!"

"C-Castform!" Castform stammered as the clouds parted and a bright sun began to beat down on the field.

The ice under Kodu's feet was slowly melting into water.

Saki smirked.

"Oh no, now what ever will I do?" She asked sarcastically. "How about….Aqua Jet, Kodu!"

"It's fine Castform, we can take it!" Sierra said. "It's Sunny out, so Kodu's water attacks will do-"

"Form!" Castform wailed out in agony as it fell to the water.

"Forrrrmmm…."

"Castform is unable to battle!" The ref announced. "Golduck is the winner!"

"Golduck!" Kodu jumped out of the water and back to where Saki was.

The ice on Saki's side of the field was getting very close to cracking due to the heat. It wouldn't be long before the entire field was just a lake.

"H-how?" Sierra asked as she reached for her last pokemon.

"Oh that's easy." Saki brushed her wavy black hair out of her piercing green eyes. "Kodu's special ability is Cloud Nine. I've used it to my advantage similarly before. In short, Kodu doesn't care what the weather is, she'll always battle the same way."

Sierra looked at her final pokeball.

"I didn't expect my very first match of the Pokemon League to be so down to the wire…"

She threw her pokeball.

"Go, Starmie!"

"Starmie!" The pokemon announced as it floated in the water.

"And with this both trainers are down to their final pokemon!" The announcer exclaimed over the loudspeakers. "Who will be the winner?"

"Starmie!" Sierra called out. "Thunderbolt!"

"Jump in the water and dodge!" Saki yelled.

"Duck!" Kodu chirped as she dove into the water on Sierra's side of the field, dodging the Thunderbolt attack.

"Rapid Spin!" Sierra called out.

"Kodu, swim and dodge!" Saki continued. "And use Screech!"

Kodu was able to easily dodge Starmie's Rapid Spin attack, and let out an ear piercing screech, making the Starmie shudder.

"C-confuse ray!" Sierra was starting to get visibly nervous as Starmie shot out a confuse ray that missed by a long shot.

"W-why can't I _hit you_?" She wondered.

"Because there is no faster swimming pokemon in this world than a Golduck." Saki said as she tossed her pokedex up and caught it with her other hand. "At least, that's what the pokedex says."

She smiled.

"Now, thanks to that little Screech earlier, Kodu, would you do the honors of ending this battle with a well timed Aqua Tail!"

"Golllll,,,,,Duck!" Kodu yelled as she flipped in a somersault fashion and slammed an Aqua Tail down onto Starmie before jumping back to Saki.

Starmie did not respond.

"Starmie is unable to battle!" The ref announced. "The winner is Golduck, which means victory goes to Saki Muranaka!"

The crowd watching the match cheered intensely as Saki and her pokemon celebrated their first victory. She answered a couple questions from tv interviewers, and then hurried over to the Grass field, where Hue's match was finally about to take place.

[Grass Field Match: Lee Callahan VS Hubert Swanson]

"Bring out the prisoners!" Hue heard the announcer say.

"Sorry about this, kid." Carmen said as she and an Officer Jenny brought him out onto the field.

"Be careful though. You might have a murderous pokemon inside of you, but that kid is a convicted murderer on his own. There's no telling what might happen."

 _Great._ Hue thought to himself.

"Trainers, are you ready?" The ref asked as though it was just like any other pokemon league match.

"Ready!" Lee announced as he held out a pokeball.

"R-ready." Hue reached for a pokeball of his own.

"Battle Start!" The ref called out.

"Go!" Both Lee and Hue announced.

"Koffing!" Lee's Koffing floated above the Grass Field.

"Esssspeon!" Espella posed as she landed on Hue's side of the grassy area.

"It looks like the first match is Koffing VS Espeon!" The announcer said over the loudspeakers. "Let's see how the battle commences!"

"Koffing!" Lee announced before Hue could even do anything. "Memento!"

 _That move-!_

"Kofff…" His Koffing fainted instantly and fell to the grass with a thud.

"Es-espeon!" Espella looked back at Hue, visibly worried and shaken up.

 _I want to return you, Espella, but I feel like he's banking on me doing that. Please stay in for just a while longer._

"K-koffing is unable to battle." The ref seemed disturbed by Lee's choice of first move.

"E-Espeon is the winner…"

Whispers began to circle around the audience of the arena.

Hue noticed Donovan looking around, trying to figure out what people were saying to each other.

Lee returned his Koffing and waited for Hue to return Espella before he took out his next pokeball.

"Go, Venomoth!" Lee announced as he sent out his next pokemon.

"Vennnomoth!" His Venomoth stated as it fluttered around.

 _Venomoth huh?_

Hue looked at Espella.

 _I think we can take it._

"Espella!" Hue called out. "Use Psybeam!"

"Espeonnn!" Espella shot a beam of psychic energy out of the small red jewel on her forehead towards the Venomoth.

"Venomoth!" Lee retaliated. "Dodge it with Quiver Dance!"

"Moooth!" Venomoth buzzed as it dodged Espella's Psybeam attack as it began to twirl around in its Quiver Dance, getting strangely faster.

"[Quiver Dance]." Dean reminded Hue. "A [Bug] Type Move. The user lightly performs a beautiful, mystic dance. It boosts the user's Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed stats."

"But…" Hue said as he looked at Espella, who was growling at the Venomoth.

"Espella's a special attacker…"

"Venomoth!" Lee announced. "Use Bug Buzz!"

"Mothothothothoth!" Venomoth buzzed loudly as it fluttered its wings at a rapid pace, creating an ungodly awful noise and forcing most of the people in the stadium, Hue included, to cover their ears.

 _So this was his strategy…_ Hue thought to himself. _He used Memento earlier to lower Espella's attacks to non-lethal levels so that he could have Venomoth deal with her…_

"Es...pe...on…" Espella struggled to get up from the Bug Buzz attack that had knocked her to the ground.

"Espella!" Hue called out. "Morning Sun!"

"Espeon!" Espella called out as she began to bask in her Morning Sun's refreshing rays.

"Venomoth!" Lee called out again. "Use Quiver Dance once more!"

"Venommmmoth!" The Venomoth hissed as it fluttered around the stadium.

Donovan gasped and stood up.

"Hue! Get Espella out of there! If he fires off another Bug Buzz-!"

Donovan didn't need to say any more.

Hue trusted his friend's judgement.

"Espella, return!" He announced as he returned his Espeon.

"Espeon is no longer able to battle!" The ref said. "The winner is Venomoth!"

 _I'm unsure if you would have been hit, but I do want to avoid a worst case scenario._

"Awww, that's so touching!" Aura spoke inside Hue's mind.

 _Shut up, Shut up, shut up and don't talk again unless I ask for you specifically!_

Aura pouted and faded into Hue's subconscious.

Hue looked at his belt of pokemon.

"Right!" He grabbed a pokeball and threw it.

"Gumshoe, let's go!" He called out as he sent out his Arcanine.

"Arrrcanine!" Gumshoe roared majestically.

"Venomoth!" Lee shouted. "Use Zen Headbutt!"

"Gumshoe!" Hue yelled. "Extremespeed!"

Gumshoe, obviously, was the one who hit first as the pokemon ran towards each other, ramming the Venomoth into the ground, creating a small trench in the dirt that the grass was growing from.

"Now Gumshoe, use Flare Blitz!" I announced.

"Arrrrr!" Gumshoe began to cloak himself in fire, which managed to spread to a few surrounding blades of grass.

"Canine!" He rammed into the Venomoth once more.

"Venomoth!" Lee called out. "Use it with the last of your strength!"

 _He's still fighting even though he knows Venomoth shouldn't be able to handle pulling off a move after that attack?_

"Now!" Lee ordered. "Disable!"

"M-m-o...t-h!" Venomoth leaned up and bit Gumshoe's leg before slowly slumping down to the ground.

The flames that had cloaked Gumshoe then completely disappeared.

He tried to Flare Blitz again, but couldn't.

 _And there goes my one Fire attack…_

"Venomoth is unable to battle!" The ref announced. "The winner is Arcanine!"

"Go!" Lee announced. "Lickilicky!"

"Licky!" The large pink abomination of a pokemon announced as it landed on the grass with a giant thud.

"Is...that the some Lickitung from Cycling Road?" Hue wondered as he held up Dean.

"[Lickilicky]." Dean stated. "The [Licking] Pokemon. Lickilicky can wrap its tongue around anything. Getting too close to this pokemon will result in a saliva shower."

"Now, Lickilicky!" Lee called out. "Use Wring Out!"

"Liiiiick!" Lickilicky yelled as it grasped Gumshoe with it's abnormally long tongue and began to squeeze him like a towel.

"Nine!" Gumshoe wailed and yelped in pain. "Awrc! A'niiiinnne!"

"G-Gumshoe!" Hue called out worried, "R-return!"

He returned Gumshoe from the attack and turned towards Lee.

"The hell are you trying to do you asshole? Kill my pokemon?"

"Yes." Lee answered without flinching.

Hue froze.

"Did you just say-?"

"Yes." Lee said again. "You heard me correctly."

Hue looked at Espella's and Gumshoe's pokeballs.

 _If I had let them keep battling any more than I did, they would have_ _ **died**_ _?_

Hue growled as he reached for his last pokeball.

 _I'm down to my last pokemon…_

 _If I don't win this...I'm dead, and that both scares and angers me...but what angers me more…_

Hue gripped the pokeball of the pokemon he had decided on.

 _What angers me even more is that my opponent intends to kill my pokemon in this battle._

"Go!" Hue yelled.

"G'lade!" Arthur announced as he landed on the slightly burning grass and his legs put out the fires.

"It looks like both sides are down to their final pokemon!" The ref announced. "Lickilicky VS Gallade!"

"Now, Lickilicky!" Lee announced. "Use Power Whip!"

"Dodge with Swords Dance!" Hue called out angrily.

 _This counts...And I know Arthur agrees that this counts...This counts as protecting close ones! No one is closer to me than my pokemon are!_

"G'lade, G'lade, G'lade!" Arthut dodged precisely as he completed his Swords Dance forms.

"Now Arthur, use Night Slash!" Hue yelled.

"Gaaaaaaalllllll-" Arthur lunged for Lickilicky.

"Lick-?" The large fat pink _thing_ turned around.

"Ladeladeladeladeladeladelade!" Arthur shouted as he continuously punched and kicked everywhere on the Lickilicky.

 _That's not Night Slash…_ Hue thought to himself. _But I'm not complaining!_

"Ladeladeladeladeladeladeladelade!" _Go Arthur, plunge his pokemon into the dirt!_

"[Close Combat]" Dean stated. "A [Fighting] Type Move. The user fights the target up close without guarding itself. This also cuts the user's Defense and Special Defense."

"Lickilicky!" Lee ordered. "Use Power Whip!"

"L-lick!" The Lickilicky managed to get a Power Whip shot in as its giant tongue swung down towards Arthur.

"G'lade." Arthur jumped up, creating a giant cloud of dirt, and came back down with a thud, creating even more dust.

When it cleared, Arthur was swinging Lickilicky like a pendulum.

"G'lade!" Arthur yelled as he brought up a foot and slammed Lickilicky into the ground.

"Gal...lade…" He panted as he stepped away from the fainted Lickilicky.

"L-Lickilicky is unable to battle!" The ref called out. "The winner is Gallade, which means the winner of this match is Hubert Swanson!"

"Gal...lade...Gal...lade…" Arthur panted as he walked up to Hue and threw his arms around him.

"G'laaaade!"

"H-hey...it's okay…" Hue comforted his Gallade with a pat on the back. "You just did what you needed to. I'm proud of you for managing to do that."

"G'laaade!"

The touching moment was ruined by slow clapping.

Everyone looked up to see that Andle Ross had found his way into the stadium.

"What an interesting battle…" He said. "And hey, congratulations on winning to see another day, Hubert Swanson." He turned towards Lee.

"Unfortunately, _you've_ failed to do what you were told to do."

"Wait, he was _told_ to try to kill my pokemon?"

"Why, I have no idea what you're talking about!" Andle played innocent. "After all, none of your pokemon are dead are they?"

 _Well, that's true...but it doesn't change the fact that Lee was still_ _ **trying**_ _to kill them._

"Well, Lee Callahan, it appears your redemption will never come." Andle lamented as he took out a remote and pressed a button.

The stadium rumbled as the field opened up to reveal a large metal chute that went further down than anyone can see.

"On the count of failure to complete a duty of vital importance," Andle said as he pat Lee on the back. "I sentence you to your punishment."

As he emphasized the word 'punishment', his pat on Lee's back became a push, and Lee fell into the pit.

As Lee fell, instead of screaming, he turned to look at Hue.

"All your fault." He sneered before Hue lost sight of him.

About fifteen seconds later, everyone heard a giant *SPLAT*.

"Would you like to see your work?" Andle asked Hue as he turned on a flashlight and shined it down into the metal chute.

Hue, against all better judgement, looked inside.

The shock of seeing the state of Lee's body nearly made Hue fall into the chute himself, but Arthur managed to grab him and keep up above ground.

 _This….this is so twisted and so wrong…._

Hue looked back at a smirking Andle Ross.

 _I need to stop this guy….and soon...but how? How can I prove who he really is?_

Unbeknownst to Hue, Ethel was watching the battle take place from the shadows of the stadium.

She was still hiding the centerpiece of the necklace she was wearing.

Meanwhile, Saki was busy training with Karakara and Huey the Dragonair.

Donovan looked on with worry on his face.

Helen was meditating with her mega-evolved Kangaskhan.

Diane was sparring with all of her pokemon.

Davon was busy researching all of Hue's pokemon on record.

"Hmmm…" Junzo said as he looked over the recording of the events that PJ had brought him later that night.

"And Now...Begins The End."

* * *

 _ **A quick message from Doobop: A few of you have already seen it, but there's another Poll up on my profile for you guys! Would you want me to write**_ **Mysteries Surround Me: Hoenn** _ **, or**_ **Mysteries Surround Me: Unova** _ **next? Go and vote on the poll on my profile!**_


	85. Hue

**_Quick Note Before The Story Continues: The Winner of the 'which book do you want next' poll was the Unova one by a landslide. So look forward to that after this book is over. Anyways, Enjoy the story_**

* * *

 _My name is Hubert Swanson, though I prefer to go by Hue. Now, a question that I've often been asked is why I spell my nickname like that, as opposed to Hugh, and my answer often is something along the lines of "Because I don't have a 'g' in my name, but I do have an 'e' in it."_

 _That is a lie._

 _The true reason I named myself after an art term is because of what it basically means. For those not in the know, a 'hue' is a sort of attribute of a color by which it can be discerned as red, green, blue, etc._

 _I can't help but have respect for hues existing in general, it's thanks to them we know whether a chess piece is black or white. It's thanks to them that we know whether the apple we're eating is red or green._

 _Hues, by their very existence, are detectives uncovering the truth of the world._

 _That is why I choose this name._

 _Because I am Hubert Swanson…._

 _...And I am a Detective._

Chapter 85:

Hue

Hue's Current Team: Douglas(Blastoise): Water Pulse, Skull Bash, Iron Defense, Rain Dance

Cooper(Cloyster): Withdraw, Spike Cannon, Icicle Crash, Shell Smash

Vasquez(Rhyhorn): Horn Attack, Stomp, Bulldoze, Smack Down

Bruce(Hitmonlee): Rolling Kick, Feint, High Jump Kick, Meditate

Gordon(Nidorino): Toxic Spikes, Poison Jab, Fury Attack, Horn Drill

Gumshoe(Arcanine): Odor Sleuth, Extremespeed, Flare Blitz, Wild Charge

Other:

Deus/Aura(Deoxys): Psycho Boost, Extremespeed/Hyper Beam, Recover/Zap Cannon, Psycho Shift

"And we're down to the final two pokemon of the match between Hubert Swanson and Lindsey Bailey!" The ref announced as Hue battled Lindsey on the Ice Field.

"It's Swanson's Hitmonlee VS Bailey's Meganium!"

"Don't worry." Lindsey smiled at Hue.

"I'll have Meganium end it quickly just like she ended things with your Arcanine!"

Lindsey pointed.

"Meganium, use Sweet Scent! Make Bruce not even _want_ to battle!"

"Gaaaaniuummm!" Meganium began to waft an ever alluring and sweet fragrance towards Bruce.

"Now Bruce!" hue yelled. "Rolling Kick!"

"Hitmon…." Bruce began to roll through the scent.

"Leeeeee!" He slammed his foot into Meganium at full force, causing the Herb pokemon to fall onto the icy field and crack it beneath her weight.

"Meganium!" Lindsey called out.

She turned back to Hue.

"How?-"

"Simple." Hue said as Bruce stood up. "I've known from the moment you were my opponent you would end up using Meganium to peacefully resolve the situation. I saw your battle with Freddie, so I know that Meganium's fragrance can make even the most agitated of pokemon no longer want to fight. Unfortunately for you…"

Hue pointed as Bruce charged Meganium again.

"Bruce the Hitmonlee has no nose! Now Bruce, High Jump Kick!"

"Hitmon...Leeeee!" Bruce yelled as his leg shot down straight into Meganium, cracking the ice completely, creating a large cloud of snowy dust.

When it cleared, Meganium was out cold.

"Meganium is no longer able to battle!" The ref announced. "The winner is Hitmonlee, which means this match goes to Hubert Swanson!"

"A pity." Andle sighed. "You seem to have failed to defeat him as well Miss Bailey." He pressed the red button on his remote and the stadium Bailey was standing on due to just returning her Meganium opened up and began to swallow her.

"Bruce, now!" Hue called out.

"Leeee!" Bruce shot his leg and extended it down.

"What the-?" Andle stood up, shocked, as Bruce brought Lindsey back up with his elastic leg.

"And this was the _second_ reason I finished off with Bruce." Hue said as he pet his Hitmonlee.

The crowded stadium began to murmur with whispers and rumors, all sorts of theories about why Hue, who supposedly was some sort of self serving and evil Deoxys, had saved someone who could have been responsible for his death.

"H-hue…" Lindsey seemed surprised.

"Shh." Hue put a finger to his mouth and whispered.

"What does he have over you? I can't imagine you'd be willing to do this…"

"I was told that if I beat you, I'd be invited to become a personal chef for the Elite 4...and I couldn't pass up the opportunity. That's always been my goal after all…"

"I understand." Hue said as Bruce put Lindsey down.

"Hubert Swanson…." Andle said as from his Champion's seat.

"You have not only saved Lindsey Bailey...But Omar Murray, your opponent for the Water Field was saved as well, by your Pidgeot. I can understand your desire to appear the hero, but the fact remains that you failed to save Lee Callahan from the same fate."

"I disagree." Hue said.

" _You_ are the one who failed to save Lee Callahan. He was perfectly fine before you pushed him into the pit that you opened. Furthermore, you said that he was a criminal and was sentenced to die anyways. As the detective who worked on his case, I have all the papers to attest to that. I would not be one to commit obstruction of justice."

Andle gritted his teeth.

 _I think I might finally be getting to him…_ Hue thought to himself. _He seems to be becoming more and more adamant that I be labelled as some kind of villain, so much so that he's starting to amass some suspicious stares himself._

"Mister Swanson." Andle announced in a forced tone of voice. "You were the one that called for the unnecessary executions of those who lost to you. Trying to go back on your word to appear better than you are is a despicable action and will do nothing to clear your name."

"Are you saying that you would prefer I allow those whom I defeat to die?" Hue asked.

"I have made the circumstances surrounding your situation very clear. Your opponents all volunteer knowing _exactly_ what they are getting into. It's a solemn and sad truth but sometimes sacrifice is required for the greater good. Congratulations on your third win, but know that you have saved your last opponent."

The stadium went silent as Hue gave a nod of acceptance.

 _I think I'm starting to see how to get to him…_

[Pokemon League Tournament Preliminary Round 4!]

[Water Field: Saki Muranaka VS….

Freddie Franks]

"Whaaat?" Saki seemed shocked to see herself up against Freddie so early on in the tournament.

"There _are_ only 32 of us left right now…" Hue said to her as he took a seat on a nearby bench to cheer her on.

His match wouldn't be until the evening hours.

"Still though…" Saki continued as she got her pokemon ready. "I didn't expect that _I_ would be the one to fight him."

"Freddie….he battles differently depending on the terrain." Hue remembered. "So he's probably prepared for all sorts of changes to the field itself…"

"Muranaka, to the field!" A stage manager announced.

"Hey, hold Karakara for me, okay?" Saki asked as she shoved the shiny Cubone into Hue's lap.

"Of course." Hue said as he kept a struggling Karakara from escaping his grasp.

 _I guess she doesn't like being held by someone other than Saki…_

"Trainers!" The ref announced.

"Are you ready?"

"Ready!" Freddie called from the other side of the Water Field.

"Ready!" Saki announced from her side as she took out her master ball.

"Go!" Both trainers shouted.

"Scyyyther!" Strike announced as he landed on the circular platform on Saki's side of the field.

"Farrrfetch'd!" Freddie's Farfetch'd called out as it landed on the platform on his own side.

"It looks like the match is going to be Scyther versus Farfetch'd!" The announcer exclaimed. "Let's see what these trainers have in store for us!"

"Battle, Start!" The ref announced with a wave of the flags.

"Alright, Strike!" Saki called out with a point. "Let's start out with an Air Slash!"

"Scyther!" Strike slashed his scythe-like appendages and shot and slash of air towards Farfetch'd.

"Farfetch'd!" Freddie called out. "Counter it with an Air Slash of your own!"

"Farrr!" Farfetch'd swung its leek to create its own Air Slash attack that shot straight towards Strike.

The two Air Slash's collided with each other, causing a whole torrent of water to splash all over the place.

"Eeee! Strike, use Sword's Dance to dodge the backsplash! We can't have your wings getting wet!" Saki squealed as she also dodged as much of the splash as she could.

"I'm wearing a freaking hakama, dude!" She called to Freddie. "I don't have much on under here, you perv!"

Hue lung his head low.

 _So she really wasn't wearing anything under there when we watched the Grand Festival…._

"S-sorry." Freddie scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. "I wasn't trying to do anything like that, honest. Look, let me show you why I did it instead…"

He pointed as he ordered.

"Farfetch'd! Use Psych Up!"

"Farrrfetch'd!" Farfetch'd began to copy Strike's movements.

"Oh no…" Saki bit her nail.

"I see the game you're playing...You knew that Strike would dodge with a Swords Dance, so you took the opportunity to power yourself up as well."

"Did you forget that I was also an experienced battler?" Freddie asked with a grin.

"Farfetch'd! Let's put this wonderful boost of attack to use and use Aerial Ace!"

"Oh no…" Saki realised. "Strike can't dodge that….'

She looked around for something, anything she could do.

"S-Strike!" Saki called out. "Quickly, use Vacuum Wave!"

"Scyther!" Strike nodded as he zoomed towards the Farfetch'd.

The pokemon collided with each other over the central platform of the field.

Farfetch'd landed on the platform, bruised heavily from the Vacuum Wave that Strike had given it.

Meanwhile, Strike plummeted into the water, and surfaced a defeated pokemon.

"Scyther is no longer able to battle!" The ref announced. "Farfetch'd is the winner!"

Saki returned Strike to his Master Ball. "You did really well, Strike. I'm sorry you had to put up with that type disadvantage."

"Come on, Saki, where's your water type pokemon?" Freddie asked. "I know you have them. I've seen you battle before. Come on, send one out!"

"How about, instead…" Saki grabbed onto a pokeball. "I send out Sirius!" She announced as she sent out her Umbreon.

"Ummmbreon." Sirius nodded as he landed on the platform in the center of the field.

"Sirius!" Saki called out. "Use Retaliate!"

"Ummbreooon!" Sirius slammed into Farfetch'd with so much power that the Wild Duck pokemon flew straight passed Freddie and into the wall of the stadium.

"F-farfetch'd is definitely unable to battle!" The ref called out. "The winner is Umbreon!"

"Oh, I see." Freddie nodded. "You used Retaliate to tie up the score quickly. Unfortunately for you, I can now send out whatever pokemon I want to deal with you Umbreon."

"Go ahead." Saki bluffed. "Sirius can take whatever you throw at him."

"Go!" Freddie threw a pokeball.

"Gengarrr!" his Gengar announced as it floated in the air.

"So...Haunter evolved did it?" Saki asked as she held up her pokedex.

"[Gengar]." It told her. "The [Shadow] Pokemon. It can absorb any surrounding heat, leaving a sudden chill. If a Gengar is nearby, it is said to feel ten degrees colder than normal. Gengar is happy when it scares people, smiling wickedly in the dark."

"Gengar!" Freddie called out. "Use Dazzling Gleam!"

"Gengar!" Freddie's Gengar began to glow incredibly brightly.

"Sirius!" Saki called out. "Use Moonlight to heal!"

"Umbr-!" Sirius timidly attempted to stand up after being knocked back by the Dazzling Gleam.

"-Breooon!" Sirius howled as a ray of light shown down upon him, healing his injuries.

"Looks like you picked a bad choice." Saki grinned at Freddie.

"Do you know how tough an Umbreon's defensive abilities are? And conversely, are you aware of how frail Gengar is?! Sirius, go! Use Feint Attack!"

"Umbreon!" Sirius rammed into the Gengar before jumping back to the central platform.

"Gennn…" Gengar floated back towards Freddie.

"Tch…" Freddie clicked. "Crap...I was so caught up in doing super effective damage to her pokemon that I forgot about my own. Why did I let a Ghost type out to face a Dark type pokemon?"

"And that mistake will cost you this match!" Saki announced.

"Sirius! Use Taunt!"

"Umbre-on! Umbreee-oooon…." Sirius began to taunt Freddie's Gengar.

"Hm." Freddie wondered aloud. "I don't understand you sometimes. You could have won the match there if you'd used a dark move, but hey, I guess you just weren't focusing enough! Gengar, use Focus Blast!"

"Sirius!" Saki called out. "Use Double Team to dodge it!"

"Umbreon!" Sirius split himself into multiple clones all on the same central platform.

"Gengar!" Gengar shot the Focus Blast as it took out one of the illusions.

"Now, let's finish him off!" Saki called out. "Full charge Feint Attack, let's go!"

"Umbreeonnn!" All the Sirius clones lunged for the Gengar.

"Hahaha!" Freddie laughed. "Unfortunately for you, Gengar knows, Destiny Bond!" He pointed.

Nothing happened.

Saki's lips parted into a wide grin.

"Perhaps the one who wasn't focusing was you." She said to Freddie.

"After all, your Gengar is still too upset to use a non attacking move such as Destiny Bond. Sorry, but that strategy could be seen coming from miles away. Well, by me anyways."

"No! No!" Freddie exclaimed in surprise. "You can't be serious!" He said as Gengar to the second Feint Attack at full force and fell gently into the water.

"Gengar is no longer able to battle!" The ref announced. "The winner is Umbreon!"

"You're down to your last pokemon left." Saki said with a smile on her face. "Here, I'll make things easier for you."

Saki returned Sirius. "You did a wonderful job, Sirius." She whispered into the pokeball. "Get some rest."

"I can hardly believe what we're seeing!" The announcer said. "Saki Muranaka has just taken a pokemon at nearly full health out of the fight by returning it prematurely! What makes her so absolutely sure she's going to win?"

"Saki, what are you doing?" Hue called out to her from the bench as he continued to keep a struggling Karakara in his arms.

"I'm making sure he doesn't have the opportunity to guess who's coming out next!" Saki called back. "I _know_ his pokemon though!"

"Oh do you now?" Freddie asked with a grin. "Do you _really_?"

Saki nodded. "Yes. Because I do research on each opponent before I fight them. I know about all the pokemon you've been hiding from us."

"You got me." Freddie rose his hands up. "I thought I could go through the region using only pokemon from the Kanto Pokedex, but perhaps now is as good a time as ever to send him out...my ace in the hole."

"And I'll send out my own powerhouse." Saki grinned as she gripped onto a pokeball.

"Go!" Freddie yelled. "Samurott!"

"Go!" Saki called. "Purin!"

"Samurrrrotttt!" Freddie's Samurott announced as it began to swim swiftly around in the water.

"Wiggly-tuff!" Purin took pride in his being sent out onto the central platform.

"[Samurott]" Dean informed Hue as he held his pokedex up to the pokemon Freddie had sent out. "The [Formidable] Pokemon. Protected by armor, Samurott can defeat opponents with one sword swipe. Its glare can silence them as well."

"Hrm…" He pondered the situation aloud. "Sounds like Special Attacks would be the way to go here…"

"Don't worry, Huey." Saki turned towards him and winked.

"I've got this. You just sit back and watch your pretty partner win the match."

Hue smiled and nodded.

Saki turned back to Freddie and Samurott.

"Why don't we repeat a method used earlier this battle?" Freddie asked. "Samurott!" He held out his arm.

"Use Retaliate!"

"Samuroootttt!" Samurott charged up and rammed into Purin.

"Wiggglyyy!" Purin cried out as he was brought all the way onto Saki's platform.

"Purin!" Saki called out. "Can you stand? Are you alright?"

"P-pu-Purin…" Purin wobbled to his feet and gave a signal to show he was okay, if only just barely.

"This'll be the end then." Freddie grinned. "Samurott, finish it off with a Hydro Pump!"

"S-" Samurott turned towards Freddie.

"Samurott!" It shook its head.

"What?"

"Pwf…" Hue could hardly control his laughter. "Don't tell me that...pfff…."

Saki's eyes widened.

"Oh, that's so great." She smiled.

"What?" Freddie asked. "What's so funny?"

"It's seems as though a miracle has happened folks!" The announcer exclaimed. "Samurott seems to have fallen in love with her Wigglytuff opponent!"

"But isn't that a female pokemon too?" Freddie asked in disbelief.

"Sorry." Saki shook her head. "But Purin is a _male_ Wigglytuff, and that Retaliate activated his Cute Charm ability."

"Of all the times…" Freddie massaged his temples.

"Purin!" Saki called out. "Let's hit her back with an Endeavor!"

"Wiggly!" Purin slammed back into Samurott, sending her flying towards Freddie's platform, now just as close to passing out as Purin was.

"S-Samurott!" Freddie called out. "I know you like him and all, but I really need you to use Hydro Pump and finish this!"

"S-Samu…" Samurott seemed to be contemplating whether to fire her Hydro Pump or not.

"Purin!" Saki called out. "If they won't end this fight, then we will! Let loose your Dazzling Gleam!"

"Wiggggglyyytufffff!" Purin yelled as he shot the most blinding light towards Samurott, causing a brilliant flash to momentarily blind the stadium.

Once everyone could see again, the battle was over.

"Samurott is unable to battle!" The ref announced. "The winner is Wigglytuff which means victory goes to Saki Muranaka!"

"Woohooo!" Saki jumped up as a large portion of the stadium, likely fan's she'd accumulated, cheered. She returned Purin and ran up to Hue and Karakara and gripped them tightly in a bear hug.

"I did it! I did it! I'm in the Top 16! I'm going onto Indigo Stadium!"

She kissed both Karakara and Hue on their foreheads.

"Great work, Saki." Hue smiled, "Now all I have to do is win my match and we'll both be there."

"Hey…" She let go of Hue and gave him a serious look.

"If we...If we do both go to Indigo Stadium, there's a chance we'll end up battling each other, isn't there?"

"I suppose there is." Hue agreed solemnly.

 _But even if that happens, I'm not letting you fall down that pit...I'd sooner jump down the pit myself than see you fall in there…_

"Hey." Saki held Hue's face up with her hand.

"If that happens, I want you to promise me...I want you to promise me that you won't just go easy on me. I want you to promise me that you'll fight with all you've got. I want you to try to defeat me, because I won't be going easy on you either."

"O-okay." Hue reluctantly agreed.

 _It's really hard to say no to that piercing gaze._

[Pokemon League Tournament Preliminary Round 4!]

[Rock Field: Hubert Swanson VS Justin Mercer]

"Hey kid." Justin said from the other side of the Rock Field. "Sorry about this, but I gotta take you out. I've been watching you. I've seen the strategies your capable of. I'm not doing this for fame, or glory, or riches. No one is being held hostage against me. I'm not being blackmailed. I'm doing this squarely and solely for Helen."

"For Helen?" Hue wondered aloud.

Justin's teeth gritted.

His dark blue punk hair didn't seem nearly as straight and sturdy as it usually was.

"It's not that I don't believe in your innocence either." Justin continued. "But Helen has already moved on to Indigo Stadium, and I can't risk you battling her and winning with some sort of sneaky trick. I would never be able to forgive myself for not stopping you when I had the chance."

"I...see…" Hue nodded.

"Is that the only reason though?"

Justin didn't answer.

"You didn't want me to have to battle Donovan, right?"

Justin gritted his teeth further.

"Stop presuming me to be your friend. I told you already. I'm doing this for Helen, and no one else! Even though every other sentence she spoke was some sort of praise for Phinny… I could understand it. He had a way of knowing exactly what to do in any given time. But he's gone now...and I had just thought...that maybe...after this many years…"

Hue remained silent.

"But no." Justin shook his head.

"Instead of moving on, she's regressed even further into the past. All because of _you_. The way she dotes over both you and your girlfriend like some kind of mother…She's lowered her guard too much, and I intend to protect her in its place!"

Hue took a deep breath.

"You don't need to explain yourself to me." He finally said.

"I understand your feeling, at least somewhat. I hope you can forgive me when I say that I don't intend to lose either, because I also have someone I'm trying to protect, and if I die, I won't be able to do it anymore."

"I'd hoped to defeat you under different circumstances…" Justin said as he readied a pokeball. "But now is not the time to think about what could have been. Now is the time to not hold anything back!" He held out the pokeball he'd grabbed.

"Are you ready, Hubert Swanson? To find out whose desire to protect their loved one is stronger?"

"Trainers!" The ref announced. "Send out your pokemon!"

"Go!" Both trainers yelled.

"Rhyhorn!" Vasquez announced as he appeared on Hue's side of the Rock Field.

"Pinsir!" A Pinsir appeared on Justin's side.

"[Pinsir]." Dean informed Hue. "The [Stag Beetle] Pokemon. This fearsome Pokemon uses its powerful claws to put the squeeze on its opponents."

"In other words, it's primarily a physical attacker." Hue noted as he put Dean away. "Understood."

"Trainers, are you ready?" The referee asked.

Both trainers remained silent but gave clear nods.

"Battle, Start!" The ref called out.

"Vasquez!" Hue called out. "Use Smack Down!"

"Rhyhorrn!" Vasquez shot out a large rock towards Pinsir at a face pace.

"Pinsir!" Justin called out. "Use Brick Break on that rock!"

"Pinsir!" The Stag Beetle Pokemon jumped up and chopped the rock in half before it could do any damage.

 _Well, this doesn't look that good…_ Hue thought to himself. _That's Vasquez's only Rock type move…_

"Vasquez!" Hue announced. "Use Horn Attack!"

"Rhyyyhorn!" Vasquez began to charge Pinsir as his horn began to glow.

"Pincer!" Justin announced. "Take the attack and use Revenge!"

"Pinsir!" Pinsir hissed as Vasquez rammed his horn into Pinsir's chest.

"Pinnn-" It held up a glowing hand. "Sirrrr!" The Pinsir swung down and knocked Vasquez back across the rocky field.

"Vasquez!" Hue called out. "Are you alright?"

"Rhy-hornnn…" Vasquez wobbled back up to his legs.

 _Dammit...I didn't expect dealing with his very first pokemon to be this tough! I still haven't even_ begun _my investigation to perfectly pin Andle as Chandler, so I can't allow myself to lose here…_

"Your resolve is hesitant at best." Justin told Hue and Pinsir walked up towards Vasquez.

"Bulldoze!" Hue yelled out.

"Rhyhorrrnn!" Vasquez began to shake the entire ground, though the most it did was slow the Pinsir's advance down a bit.

"You will not get anywhere with such a pitiful display." Justin continued. "You are unfit to protect others when you can't even protect yourself. Pinsir, Guillatine."

"Pin...Sir!" Pinsir slashed down on Vasquez, who instantly fell over.

"Rhyhorn is unable to battle!' The ref called out. "The winner is Pinsir!"

"Now do you see how foolish you've been?" Justin asked as Hue hung his head low and returned Vasquez to his pokeball. "The words you've spoken thus far are merely platitudes without the bonafide actions to back them up. My resolve to protect Helen is unwavering. Even the slightest bit."

"Go Bruce!" Hue yelled as he sent out his Hitmonlee.

"Guillatine." Justin announced again.

Bruce fell down without even the chance to attack.

"Hitmonlee is unable to battle!" The ref announced. "The winner is Pinsir!"

Hue nearly fell to his knees as he returned Bruce as well.

"Give it up." Justin told Hue. "You lack the ability to defeat me. You lack the type of strength that Helen possesses."

 _Damn it, why do I not have Arthur in my party right now? I could shut him up right now if I used the pokemon_ designed _for protecting others...But…._

"You're...wrong." Hue mumbled.

"What's that?" Justin put a hand to his ear. "I couldn't hear you."

"I said you're wrong!" Hue shouted as he threw out his next pokemon. "Go!"

"Cloyster!" Cooper grinned as he landed on the rock field.

"Cloyster?" Justin wondered. "I don't understand."

"This Cloyster…" Hue said. "Used to belong to Helen Lang!"

The words seemed to take form and hit Justin in his chest.

"What did you just say?"

"You heard me!" Hue announced. "My Cloyster, Cooper was once in the possession of Helen Lang! I've even told her about it! But she has still allowed me to train him, because she believes in my words! Cooper, let's use Spike Cannon!"

"Cloysterrr!" Cooper announced as he shot a barrage of Spikes, each one hitting Pinsir harder than the last one did, until the Stag Beetle pokemon was back on Justin's side of the field.

"Now Cooper!" Hue announced. "Icicle Crash let's go!"

"Cloyyy!" Cooper shot a large icicle towards Pinsir.

"Pinsir, use Brick Break!" Justin called out.

"Pin-!" Pinsir jumped up to break the Icicle Crash, but ended up instead, taking the attack full force.

"Sirrrr…" It lay on the ground.

"Pinsir is unable to battle!" The ref announced. "The winner is Cloyster!"

"But how-?" Justin asked.

"Because Cooper has been trained by Helen Lang, that's how." Hue stated. "It seems as though, I don't lack Helen's strength after all!"

"Tch…" Justine gritted his teeth again. "You got lucky this time kid, but it won't happen again!" He sent out his next pokemon.

"Go! Machoke!"

"Maaachoke!" The Machoke announced its presence.

"Machoke huh?" Hue nodded. "I'll admit that things don't look too good for Cooper when you send out a Machoke like that."

"Then you know that this Submission will be the end of you!" Justin announced as his Machoke ran up to Cooper.

"Withdraw!" Hue called out.

"Cloysterrr!" Cooper withdrew into his shell as Machoke brought down a fist towards the shell.

"Ch-chooooke…" Machoke whined as it quickly brought back its fist and waved its hand around, blowing on the bruised appendage.

"Sorry Justin, but Cooper's shell is incredibly strong. It's not going to be dented by a punch! How does the needless recoil damage feel?"

"You sneaky little…" Justin grunted.

"Oh you want me to stop sneaking?" Hue asked. "Alright then. I will. Cooper, use Shell Smash!"

"Cloysterrr!" Cooper quickly shed out of his old shell and broke out of it.

"Unfortunately for you…" Justine said. "We lack water, so Cooper can't make use of improved speed on this battlefield."

"He doesn't need to make use of the improved speed." Hue shook his head. "He just needs to use Spike Cannon again!"

"Cloooyyysterrr!" Cooper announced as he shot another full five spikes towards Machoke, each one hitting stronger than the last one, until the final spike knocked the pokemon over.

"Machoke is unable to battle!" The ref announced. "The winner is Cloyster!"

"Great job, Cooper!" Hue called out. "Keep up the great work!"

 _Arceus help us, I only have a water/ice type left and now my opponent has seen all the moves up my sleeves…_

"Go!" Justin announced. "Snorlax!"

"Snoooorrrrlaaaaxxx!" The large bear like pokemon roared as it landed on the rock field with a thud that shook the battlefield itself.

Cooper gulped. "Cl-cloyster…"

"Stay strong, Cooper!" Hue called out. "We're not allowed to lose this fight!"

"Cloys." Cooper agreed.

"Snorlax, let's start things off with a Belly Drum!" Justin announced.

"Lax, Lax, Lax!" Snorlax drummed on its belly, cutting its health down in order to maximize its attacking power.

"This is bad." Hue realized.

"Cloyster." Cooper agreed.

"We need something to counter whatever he's going to do next…"

"Cloyster." Cooper agreed.

"Now Snorlax!" Justin yelled. "Use Giga Impact!"

"Snooooooorrrrrrr!" The 1300lb Pokemon then jumped up into the air and dove down towards Cooper.

"Even a Cloyster's shell won't save you from this attack!" Justin announced as Hue gulped. "The look on your face says it all. You're too worried to be able to protect your loved ones! You lack the gumption! To face your problems head on and you always look for other ways around them before you try a direct approach!"

 _Wait a minute...a direct approach…_

"Cooper!" Hue yelled out, realizing something he could do.

"Snorlax has it's belly completely exposed! Shoot it with a Spike Cannon and slow it down enough to dodge!"

"Cloysterrr!" Cooper shot out a Spike Cannon.

"That's not going to dent's Snorlax much." Justin said.

"No...but it'll slow him down enough for Cooper to pull off another Shell Smash to dodge the attack!" Hue announced as Cooper just barely broke away from the path of the falling Snorlax, who landed with a seismic thud on the ground.

"Snorrr…." The Sleeping Pokemon moaned.

"Now's our chance Cooper!" Hue announced. "Snorlax has can't move after using at attack like Giga Impact! Go!"

"Cloooooyyyyy…." Cooper began charging up an attack.

"Sterrrrrrrrrrr!" He shouted as a large blast of concentrated water shot out of the opening of his shell.

"[Hydro Pump]." Dean announced. "A [Water] Type move. The target is blasted by a huge volume of water launched under great pressure."

"Snorlax!" Justin announced. "Get up and use Body Slam!"

Snorlax turned over.

It was unconscious.

"Snorlax is unable to battle!" The ref announced. "The winner is Cloyster, which means victory goes to Hubert Swanson!"

"I…" Justin returned Snorlax. "I….failed….?"

"No, you didn't fail." Hue said as he walked up to Justin.

"You taught me something really important actually. I'm not allowed to be scared for myself if I want to protect others. I've been too worried about what's been going on with me, when I should be more worried about everyone else. I should already know that I can handle myself. Thank you for making me realize that."

"Bwf...bwahahahahahahaha!" Justin let out a loud laugh. "My goodness...Now I get it. I finally get it now. Man I feel stupid."

He smiled a sincere smile at Hue.

"You're just like she was...back then." He chuckled as the stadium opened under him and he fell down the dark pit.

"Good luck, kid." He said before Hue lost sight of him.

"No!" Hue ran up towards the pit. "Cooper use-"

"No." Andle stopped Hue. "You have a promise to keep, remember?"

Hue gritted his teeth.

"Congratulations on making it to the Top 16." Andle announced. "In just a short while, you'll be at the Indigo Stadium. It's a shame that you'll be way too occupied with battles and research to do any digging on me." He whispered.

 _Oh, we'll see about that…._ Hue thought to himself while both Freddie and Lindsey were snooping around the Elite 4 and Champion's quarters disguised as chefs.

 _We will definitely see about that..._


End file.
